Theory and practice of policy-making ability in local councils

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K01341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06010:Politics-related
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kinoshita Ken 福岡工業大学, 社会環境学部, 准教授 (30735296)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 加藤 洋平 流通経済大学, 法学部, 准教授 (10780281) ; 橋本 圭多 神戸学院大学, 法学部, 准教授 (60755388)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 地方議会 / 議会 / 地方自治 / 政策形成 / 政策立案

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we worked on how to improve the policy-making ability of local councils. First, regarding council member-proposed ordinances, it became clear that it is difficult to pass a council member-proposed ordinance when the council majority is not composed of a single party and functions as a veto player. As for population size, it became clear that policy ordinances are more likely to be formed in municipalities with a population of less than 300,000-400,000. Next, we focused on the percentage of female councilors and the percentage of leftist councilors as policy makers. We found that an increase in the percentage of female councilors and leftist councilors had a positive effect on petitions. When considering the improvement of policy making ability, it is thought that an increase in the number of diverse councilors who differ from traditional politics is required.

Free Research Field

地方政治

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の意義は、地方議会の政策形成能力を高めることにより、監視機能や審議機能の向上を併せて行い、行政府と対峙する二元代表制をより機能させることである。本研究で明らかにした女性議員割合や左派議員の増加といった議会構成の多様化は、従来の政治とは異なる政策形成を促すものであり、これまでに十分に議会が政策立案してこなかった福祉や教育分野の政策形成を促すものと考えられる。また、人口規模により政策形成が行いやすいかどうかの違いがあることが明らかとなったことから、政策形成を促すための会派間の交渉は人口30-40万人規模であれば行いやすいことが示唆される。