Territorial Heterogeneity as a Factor of Cross-Regional Variations in the Activity of National Lawmaking

Abstract In some countries, all subnational units have the “right of legislative initiative” as one of the shared rule arrangements. However, despite equal opportunities within the country, regions demonstrate enormous differences in their legislative activity. Based on the calculation of the number of regional legislative initiatives for the period 2001–2020 in Russia and some other European countries (Italy, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland), we examine the impact of the specificity of individual regions, which is a consequence of the territorial heterogeneity of the country, on their activity in national lawmaking. Employing OLS regression analysis, we find that the distinctiveness of a region in terms of its geography, economy, and history generates special political interests and positively influences their activity in national lawmaking both in Russia and in other European countries.