This book examines the extent to which recent transformations of administrative systems and public management mechanisms in Central European (CE) countries serve the purpose of providing effective and efficient public institutions, high quality of public services, respect for the rule of law, and the citizens’ trust in the state.

This book presents a novel approach to explaining the ability of cities to combat depopulation through the prism of urban leadership quality. It benefits from domestic empirical research, international case studies, and a survey of valuable practices and provides a new interpretation of the processes associated with these trends.