The Nordic Local Government Model and the Municipal CEO

In this chapter, the notion of a Nordic local government model is discussed in relation to the position of the municipal chief executive officer (MCEO). We elaborate on four key areas: decentralization, fiscal capacity, autonomy, and horizontal power relations. The common characteristics of the Nordic countries in the context of the four key areas are summarized as a way in which to interpret the Nordic local government model within a primarily shared context. However, there are also nuances in the differences between the individual countries. The Nordic local government model allows the MCEO to play a role that is both interesting and influential.