Mutations de facto et conséquences de jure dans les rapports Etat-régions : les cas de la Toscane et de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

The purpose of this paper is to consider a certain number of external regional actions and identify any potential changes in the balance of power between the central State and the regional authorities. Four channels of regional activity are analysed: decentralised cooperation, inter-regional cooperation, the presence of regions within inter-regional associations and in the EU though their Brussels offices. It will be demonstrated, based on empirical data on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte déAzur (PACA) and the Italian region of Tuscany, that a rebalancing of power has effectively taken place. The consolidation of certain practices in relation to the external actions of regions extends beyond the formal constraints. It causes them to be reinforced and as a consequence, the State has to adapt. This adaptation is seen primarily in the tolerance of regions' external actions, then by their formalisation. Thus these de facto transformations often result in de jure formalisation. The purpose of this paper is to consider a certain number of external regional actions and identify any potential changes in the balance of power between the central State and the regional authorities. Four channels of regional activity are analysed: decentralised cooperation, inter-regional cooperation, the presence of regions within inter-regional associations and in the EU though their Brussels offices. It will be demonstrated, based on empirical data on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte déAzur (PACA) and the Italian region of Tuscany, that a rebalancing of power has effectively taken place. The consolidation of certain practices in relation to the external actions of regions extends beyond the formal constraints. It causes them to be reinforced and as a consequence, the State has to adapt. This adaptation is seen primarily in the tolerance of regions' external actions, then by their formalisation. Thus these de facto transformations often result in de jure formalisation.