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Madrid to Curb Spending by Powerful Regions

Wall Street Journal Original article ›

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Spain has become a highly decentralized country in the response to decades under the military dictatorship of General Franco. Regional autonomy was suppressed in Galicia, Catalonia, Valencia and other regions during that period, and the trend after the country became a democracy was a high degree of decentralization and regional autonomy. This trend is being corrected in the area of spending discipline for all areas of administration in regional and state governments through a new agreement reached between the Mariano Rajoy government and the regions, including Valencia and Catalonia. In exchange for funding and liquidity from Madrid the regional governments have agreed to accept spending controls, penalties for exceeding deficit targets, and automatic spending cuts. The new legislation is being worked out between the Rajoy administration and regional governments. Rajoy says the failure of Spain to reach its 6% deficit target- it came out at 8%- was the result of overspending of 17 regions. The 17 regions together had a deficit of 2.7% of GDP, which was twice their 2011 deficit target. The new Budget Minister Cristobal Montero says the new agreement "has great political significance," as action can now be taken with new legislation for spending discipline at all levels of public administration in Spain.

Spain's efforts to control regional spending

07/22/2010

Spain is a highly decentralized country with the central government in Madrid able to exercize little control on spending by the regions. The eurozone crisis and the higher than expected 8% deficit in Spain for 2011 is changing attitudes in the regions and in Madrid. The clause inserted in the constitution in 2011 with Germany's insistence for a balanced budget gives Madrid power to restrain spending. An agreement was reached with regional governments including Catalonia for new legislation on spending controls. Valencia was downgraded along with Spain in the recent downgrade of Spain's credit rating.

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