The creation of municipalities and the formalization of metropolitan areas: federal coordination challenges

AbstractThis work aims to analyze the federal government actions on two topics related to the federative issue creation of municipalities and formalization of metropolitan areas. The goal was to understand the rationale underlying the federal government decisions in this field after the Constitution promulgation. The Union action between these poles demands analysis by its obvious implications in various public policies such as housing, sanitation, urban mobility, education, health and others. Among the studied elements, we emphasize the legislative proposals and institutional changes, whether it occurred or not. Events occurring in this little more than a quarter century, analyzed in accordance to the narrative method, show that the federal government has shown difficulty to coordinate this field. Omission is not rare, such as lack of attention by the federal executive to metropolitan and other urban areas and, on the other hand, central government levies disregarding the federation, such as the decision not to decide on national rules relating to the creation of new municipalities.