Complex governance: actors, institutions and linkages

Based on an actor-centred and institutionalist approach, this chapter analyses how multilevel governance links a policy arena spanning across boundaries of jurisdictions and politics within the institutions of governments or international organizations. In multilevel coordination, political leaders, ministers and senior executives represent their governments or international organizations, whereas civil servants or private actors influence policies as specialists. Acting for a government or an international organization, political executives must harmonize commitments resulting from “domestic” and multilevel politics. The preferences and strategies of these actors vary according to the institutional conditions and power structures in the “domestic” arena of governance. It makes a difference whether governmental actors represent democratic or autocratic governments or international organizations. This institutional diversity affects how multilevel governance works.