Le théorème de la décentralisation s’applique-t-il aux collectivités locales françaises ? Un test empirique sur les compétences intercommunales (with Védrine L), Economie et Statistiques, 2017, 497-498, 43-64.

This paper tests the decentralisation theorem in the case of French intermunicipal cooperation by estimating a spatial probit model for 10 selected competences. Four main results are provided: (i) the heterogeneity of citizens' preferences reduces the transfer probability of competences from municipalities to their intermunicipality; (ii) economies of size and the need to coordinate local public choices predetermine some competences to be transfered to the intermunicipal level; (iii) intermunicipalities made up of small municipalities are more likely to be entrusted with municipal competences; (iv) the decision to transfer competences to the intermunicipal level is influenced by the decisions made by neighbouring intermunicipalities.