Regionalism and multi-level governance on language policy in European countries

Introduction: European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, adopted by the Council of Europe, has become an important regulator language policy in signatory and ratifying countries. As a result, towards minorities, turns out to be bright example multi-level governance (MLG) – new pattern political interactions, which is characterized not hierarchical system subordination one center (the state), but pluralistic, dispersed activity many actors interacting at different interconnected levels power. MLG, however, differs across various regions, since subnational intend self-sustained players interactions varying degrees. Objectives: identify mechanisms regionalist parties’ impact on involvement regional determine how it influences strength minorities. Methods: large-N comparative analysis comparatively oriented case-study. Results: 134 regions from countries that have ratified Languages confirmed parties positive effect scope guarantees preferences minority languages receive regions. The case-study Serbian Vojvodina, most typical case, allows expose regionalists. Being represented authorities, only promote issues public agenda, also achieve more energetic formulation making decisions national level. At initiative parties, first then throughout country, ethnic councils were institutionalized as significant policy. Thus, non-state are actively involved policy, fully consistent with MLG approach. Conclusions: movements influence Its demonstrates stable statistically both volume obligations undertaken relation languages, degree their implementation. Another factor presence kin-state among linguistic minority.