Leader+ Territorial Governance in Poland: Successes and Failures as a Rational Choice Effect

The paper analyses the processes of implementing territorial governance using the example of local action groups (LAGs) supported by the LEADER+ Pilot Programme (2005–2008) in Poland. It concludes that the partnership successes and dysfunctions observed resulted from the rationality on the part of bureaucrats and local stakeholders, which may be explained in terms of second‐generation rational choice theories. The main role in the partnerships was that played by local authorities, which often sought to retain control over resources and processes. Involvement of the private sector and local inhabitants was found to be limited. However, the partnership established did lay a sound foundation for the use of the European Union structural funds, even though they did not prove effective in launching a truly participative model of the territorial governance.