Pro-decentralization Strategies for the Future

To meet the challenge of promoting decentralization under a two-party political system, Dominican pro-municipal advocates might consider action in five areas: craft ing and communicating clear messages justifying power-diff usion; undertaking innovative policy eff orts in the municipal arena, perhaps through well-defined pilot programs; strengthening ties with infl uential interest groups in business, religion, and the NGO sector; promoting regional institutions as a buff er between the central state and municipalities; and sponsoring additional research that might identify new paths to decentralization or aid in removing obstacles to its progress. The municipalista coalition has shown a penchant for deft utilization of the existing political system in order to promote reform, and continuing that inventive tradition offers promise for the future. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.