Inter-municipal cooperation and municipal political autonomy in Argentina: Legal framework and practice

Inter-municipal cooperation enables municipalities to perform their functions more efficiently, especially under conditions of limited resources. However, in many countries the practical implementation of inter-municipal cooperation in practice faces challenges such as imperfect legislation and differing interpretations of municipal authority. This makes the study of foreign experience particularly relevant. Argentina stands out for its extensive and varied experience in regulating inter-municipal co-operation. The diversity of legislative approaches among Argentina’s provinces provides a valuable basis for comparative analysis. Of particular interest is Argentina’s constitutional guarantee of municipal political autonomy, which shapes the legal landscape for inter-municipal cooperation. The purpose of this article is to comprehensively examine the forms and mechanisms of inter-municipal co-operation employed in Argentina. The methodological basis of the study includes general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as comparative-legal and historical approaches. The study examines both federal and regional Argentine legislation, law enforcement practices, and relevant doctrinal sources. The findings indicate that Argentina’s approach to regulating inter-municipal cooperation exemplifies the practical realization of the constitutional municipal autonomy. Provincial legislation on this issue is notably diverse: in some provinces, inter-municipal cooperation is regulated by both public and private law, while in others it is treated solely as a public law matter. The Argentine experience offers valuable insights that could be adopted for use in Russia, provided they are appropriately tailored to the local context.