The role of local government in combating the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This work analyzes the impact of the restrictions caused by COVID-19 on the functioning of local democracy and participatory democracy, addressing the effects of the COVID-19 legislation on public employment, local finance, public procurement and the digitization of public administration; analyzes the territorial and institutional cooperation that took place between the municipalities and the State power, the National Health Service and the local Authorities. In the end, it considers the risks and potentialities that may be associated with the recovery phase, leaving an alert to the dangers of lack of budgetary control in municipalities and in the municipal enterprises sector, to the importance of combating the risks of corruption associated with this phase with solid measures capable of ensuring sustainable and transparent governance, and the need to turn recovery into an opportunity to ensure the effective implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in municipalities.