Crisis and centralisation: how the pandemic reshaped territorial preferences in Spain

Sandra León
Amuitz Garmendia Madariaga

South European Society and Politics, 2026 (doi.org/10.1080/13608746.2026.2694986).

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Abstract:

This article explores the impact of crises on territorial preferences of citizens, focusing on how crisis management drives shifts towards centralisation. While existing research has shown that territorial preferences can shift in response to elite mobilisation and political dynamics, we know comparatively little about whether external shocks can drive similar change. Using an online priming survey experiment conducted at different times of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, the research tests whether ineffective crisis coordination increases public support for centralisation. The findings reveal a robust centralisation shift, moderated by pre-existing preferences for decentralised governance and regional political alignments. These insights raise important questions about the resilience of decentralised governance structures in the face of external shocks.

Citation:

León, Sandra and Amuitz Garmendia Madariaga (2026) Crisis and centralisation: how the pandemic reshaped territorial preferences in Spain. South European Society and Politics.