Local Political Power and Social Protection Policies for Elderly People in the Portuguese Context - An Exploratory Study

Since the Carnation Revolution in April of 1974, and the consequent approval of the Portuguese Republic Constitution (1976), the country’s legislative trend has been geared towards the expansion of local government power, in Portugal. This issue has acquired new relevance recently, with the new reconfiguration of the political decentralization process, through Law No. 50/2018, of 16th August. This is a gradual process, still ongoing, and delayed by the current pandemic situation. Local authorities play a decisive role in the country's development, both in the present and in the past. Initially focused on creating essential and basic infrastructures for the people, now includes other concerns, such as social protection. The definition and implementation of social policies, targeted to different populations, has become an essential axis of action, in a country marked by territorial disparities and an aging population. This study aims to understand the role of local administration in the characterization of social policies targeted at senior populations. The present work is a study of qualitative and explorative nature. Using documentary research and content analysis, we identified and characterized the measures aimed at the senior population implemented by two municipalities (Gouveia and Ourém). The analysis of the results allows us to conclude that the municipalities implemented measures that target the elderly population directly. Seniors also benefit from other measures, applicable to other age groups. It is important that the discussion focuses on these measures and the achievement of their goals. Measures to protect the elderly population are urgent, especially in a southern European country like Portugal, that has an ageing population, with a considerable increase in people aged 65 and over.

Active Aging Governance and Challenges at the Local Level

International and national guidelines have been promoting active aging while creating the necessary means for decision-makers and other relevant actors to work together (governance mechanisms) to implement local and active aging policies. This is especially important in the present COVID-19 pandemic context, posing greater challenges on older people who tend to be self-isolated. How are local actors conceptualizing active aging? What are their priorities related to a healthy life for older people? Which governance mechanisms are used to implement such policies? These are some of the questions addressed in this paper, targeting Portugal, a southern European country. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design combining a survey conducted at a national level and interviews with key actors in the NUTS III Aveiro Region was employed to identify and understand the underpinning governance mechanisms. Findings confirm the ‘passive organization type’ in which European politico-territorial studies tend to place Portugal, as there are gaps in the way policies are formulated, implemented and evaluated, as well as a lack of coordination. Results of this study have important impacts on the way local governments and other stakeholders will prepare themselves in the post-pandemic period to design and implement policies addressing active aging.

Conceptualizing Motives for Migration: a Typology of Italian Migrants in the Athens Area

Migration flows from a southern European country to another one have received scarce attention so far. This is especially true for Italians migrating to Greece or, more specifically, the Athens area. Thus, there are limited insights as to the reasons why Italians are leaving and why they have been choosing Greece as their destination. This paper looks at their motives for migrating and their destination choice in order to understand the diversity of migratory trajectories through a typology. In order to do this, we carried out in-depth interviews to Italians living, both permanently and temporarily, in the Athens area, employing snowball sampling. As a result, we have identified 5 types of Italian immigrants in Athens: Mediterranean, nomadic, work, entrepreneurial, and marriage migrants. Mediterranean migrants are driven by the typically Mediterranean character of climate, landscape, food, and culture in their deliberate choice of Athens. Nomadic migrants have casually chosen Athens to satisfy their need of continuous physical mobility and multiple moorings as a defining aspect of their identity. Work migrants are motivated by the search of a job regardless of the place and work content. Entrepreneurial migrants are motivated by a vocation for a professional career in Athens. Finally, for marriage migrants, the choice of Athens is a consequence of a couple choice and shared life projects.

Status and Evolution of the Community Energy Sector in Italy

Community energy (CE) initiatives have been progressively spreading across Europe and are increasingly proposed as innovative and alternative approaches to guarantee higher citizen participation in the transition toward cleaner energy systems. This paper focuses the attention on Italy, a Southern European country characterized by relatively low CE sector development. It fills a gap in the literature by eliciting and presenting novel and comprehensive evidence on recent Italian CE sector developments. Through a stepwise approach it systematically maps and reviews Italian CE initiatives, to then focus the attention on three specific case studies to further explore conditions for development as well as of success within the Italian energy system. The analysis presents an Italian CE sector still at its niche level, characterized by small initiatives largely dependent on national photovoltaics (PV) policy support. It also points out how only larger initiatives, able to operate at national scale, developing multiple projects and differentiating their activities have managed to continue growing at the time of discontinuity of policy support and contraction of the national renewable energy market. Recent EU and national legislative development might support revived development of CE initiatives in Italy.