Long-Term Impact of Municipal Amalgamation on Local Democracy in Multi-Ethnic Society

A large body of empirical academic research has focused on exploring the consequences of municipal territorial reforms on various aspects of democracy. This article examines a case in which territorial amalgamation itself altered the ethnic composition of a municipality. The case study of Kicevo in North Macedonia demonstrates how such a multi-ethnic environment, in which no ethnic group holds a clear majority, can modify the expected effects of amalgamation on democratic processes. Contrary to the typical post-amalgamation decline in local electoral turnout, we noted a short-term surge in voter mobilization leading to increased local electoral turnout. The analysis employs a quasi-experimental design based on the synthetic control method to assess changes in voter mobilization following the reform.