Autonomy and politicization of the Portuguese administrative elites, 1999-2009

Abstract

What is the position of the Portuguese administrative elites in the confrontation between professional autonomy and their politicization? In Portugal a pattern of professional autonomy within central government prevails. While keeping certain clientelistic traits at the local level, the Portuguese case reveals a new kind of politicization in public administration - in line with what is happening in other Western democracies. In sum, Portugal has an hybrid administrative elite recruitment pattern, containing predominant elements of professional autonomy within the central government, combined with elements of political control at agencies’ level, and even clientelistic elements in the state’s local branches.