Local-Level Refugee Integration within a Context of Multi-Level Governance: Turkey in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

Refugee integration is a multi-level governance (MLG) issue, which municipalities play a central yet constrained role. This article examines how multi-level governance shapes local-level refugee integration in Turkey and what a structured comparison with Greece and Spain.reveals about the scope of the “local turn.” Drawing on a qualitative most-similar case design, the study situates Turkey within a Mediterranean governance spectrum ranging from highly centralised systems to more decentralised models. While all three countries experienced significant post-2015 refugee arrivals and rely on municipalities as frontline actors, they differ in decentralisation, engagement with international agreements, and the involvement of non-state actors. The article argues that responsibilities for refugee integration have increasingly shifted downward to municipalities without a corresponding transfer of authority or resources. By distinguishing the vertical and horizontal dimensions of MLG, the study demonstrates how similar regional pressures generate divergent municipal capacities.