Throughout the hardest days and weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen in many parts of the world that state, regional and local governments have raised their voices claiming a crucial role in the fight against pandemics. In the middle of the crisis, these actors have developed important responsibilities or have set their own profile in the face of the recommendations, statements and instructions of their respective central and federal governments. From the statements made by the New York and California governors, to the strategy followed by the Italian region of Veneto, through the special claims arising from Valencia and Canary Islands as well as the position of the Scottish government questioning the measures coming from London. Hence, governments and sub-state entities have had an emerging engagement, regardless of the level of decentralization of their respective countries.

Their involvement in the provision of assistance such as health or social services has put them at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19. However, no less important will be their immediate role, given that many of them have competences in many areas of government such as economic development, industrial policies or tourism.

Centralization or decentralization: what works best against pandemics? How federal political systems react to an emergency crisis such as COVID-19? What best practices could we learn from federal and decentralized countries? Do inter-governmental relations play an important role in fighting the COVID19 crisis? Is COVID19 going to centralize existing federations and regionalized political systems?

In this online debate, jointly organised by the Centre for Contemporary Studies and Diplocat, the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia, leading panelists such as Nicola McEwen, Francesco Palermo, Mireia Grau and Johanna Schabel discussed about the global and European role of sub-state entities in building future post COVID-19. The debate is chaired by political scientist and UOC’s professor Marc Sanjaume.

This session is part of a debate series on the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, kicked off last month by the Centre for Contemporary Studies in collaboration with CADS and the Ministry of the Vice-presidency and of the Economy and Finance. All the discussions seek to analyse the consequences of coronavirus pandemic in our societies.

Discussants:

• Nicola McEwen, Professor of Territorial Politics and Co-Director of the Centre on Constitutional Change at the University of Edinburgh
• Francesco Palermo, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Verona and Director of the Institute for Comparative Federalism (EURAC)
• Mireia Grau, Head of the Research Area of the Institute for Self-Government Studies (IEA) of the Government of Catalonia
• Johanna Schnabel, Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the University of Kent. Assistant editorial at Swiss Political Science Review

Moderator:

• Marc Sanjaume, political scientist, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

Welcome remarks:

• Elisabet Nebreda, Foreign Action and European Union Affairs Secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Action, Government of Catalonia
• Laura Foraster, Diplocat’s secretary general
• Pere Almeda, director of IDEES magazine and the Centre for Contemporary Studies

The session, fully conducted in English, is co-hosted with Diplocat and also belongs to Diplocat Digital Talks discussion series.