Abstract: This article empirically analyzes the decisions of the Constitutional Courts in Abstract Judicial Review, with the objective to determine the role of Judicial Review in those Democratic States and the extent of this control comparing Brazil, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Portugal. Important data are presented about composition of the judges and legitimates to propose Constitutional Actions. The central point of the text lies in presenting an overview about the Abstract Judicial Review and the impact on national and subnational conflicts. Preliminary findings indicate that, in the majority compared States, the Constitutional Jurisdiction maintaining or increasing the powers of the central or national government.

Resumen: Este artículo analiza empíricamente las decisiones de los tribunales constitucionales en el control abstracto concentrado, con el objetivo de determinar el papel de la revisión judicial en los Estados democráticos y de derecho en Brasil, España, Italia, México y Portugal. Datos esenciales se presentan en la composición de los jueces y los sujetos legitimados para demandar acciones constitucionales. El punto central del texto radica en una visión general sobre el control abstracto y el impacto sobre los conflictos nacionales y subnacionales. Los resultados preliminares indican que, en la mayoría de los Estados, la jurisdicción constitucional mantiene o aumenta los poderes del gobierno central o nacional.

Este artigo analisa o processo decisório estadual e o arranjo institucional (transferências fiscais, competências dos entes federativos e procedimentos legislativos) que geraram, entre 1988 e 2000, 1.438 novos municípios no Brasil (25% do total). A abordagem enfatiza o papel dos mecanismos institucionais na orientação das estratégias dos atores e na determinação dos resultados políticos. A interpretação e os dados empíricos fundamentam duas hipóteses explicativas: 1) o processo emancipacionista é resultante dos mecanismos (arranjo institucional) que moldaram um ambiente favorável às decisões de criação de municípios; e 2) a variação estadual resultaria: (a) de como a regulamentação alterou a disponibilidade de localidades emancipáveis; (b) da natureza da interação entre o executivo e o legislativo; (c) do tamanho/tipo da coalizão governista e (d) da existência de dispositivos legais (sobre a iniciativa e a tramitação da proposição) que ampliaram a autonomia do legislativo estadual nesse processo decisório.

This article examines the decision process in states governments and the political-institutional context (intergovernmental flow of funds, competences of governmental entities in federation, legislatives proceedings) that produced, between 1988-2000, the proliferation of 1,438 new municipalities in Brazil (25% from total of municipalities). The approach emphasizes the role of institutional mechanisms on direction of actors' political strategies and determination of politics outcomes. The interpretation and empiric research produced the following hypothesis to explain this political process: 1) the new municipalities' proliferation process is resultant from mechanisms (institutional arrangement) which shaped a favourable situation to decisions that created the municipalities; and 2) the state variation in process shall have resulted from: (a) how the regulations changed the available quantity of localities/towns to be able to turn municipalities, (b) kind of interaction between executive/ legislative, (c) size/type of government coalition in state parliament and (d) existence of legal provision (about initiative and procedure of legislative proposition in the state parliament) which enlarged the autonomy of state parliament on decision process to create municipalities.

Cet article analyse le processus de décision régional (au niveau des États de la Fédération) et l'arrangement institutionnel (transferts fiscaux, compétences des organes fédératifs et procédures législatives) engendré entre 1988 et 2000 par 1.438 nouvelles communes au Brésil (1/4 du total des communes existantes). Notre approche met l'accent sur le rôle des mécanismes institutionnels dans l'orientation des stratégies des acteurs et dans la détermination des résultats politiques. L'interprétation et les données empiriques permettent l'élaboration des hypothèses explicatives suivantes: 1) le processus d'émancipation résulte de mécanismes (arrangement institutionnel) qui ont formé un environnement favorable aux décisions qui ont créé les communes; et 2) les variations régionales résulteraient: (a) de la manière dont la réglementation a modifié la possibilité de localités émancipables, (b) de la nature de l'interaction exécutif/législatif, (c) de la taille/type de coalition au sein du gouvernement, et; (d) de l'existence de dispositifs légaux (par l'initiative et le cheminement bureaucratique de la proposition) qui ont augmenté l'autonomie du législatif régional dans ce processus décisionnel.

Este artigo analisa o processo decisório estadual e o arranjo institucional (transferências fiscais, competências dos entes federativos e procedimentos legislativos) que geraram, entre 1988 e 2000, 1.438 novos municípios no Brasil (25% do total). A abordagem enfatiza o papel dos mecanismos institucionais na orientação das estratégias dos atores e na determinação dos resultados políticos. A interpretação e os dados empíricos fundamentam duas hipóteses explicativas: 1) o processo emancipacionista é resultante dos mecanismos (arranjo institucional) que moldaram um ambiente favorável às decisões de criação de municípios; e 2) a variação estadual resultaria: (a) de como a regulamentação alterou a disponibilidade de localidades emancipáveis; (b) da natureza da interação entre o executivo e o legislativo; (c) do tamanho/tipo da coalizão governista e (d) da existência de dispositivos legais (sobre a iniciativa e a tramitação da proposição) que ampliaram a autonomia do legislativo estadual nesse processo decisório.

This article examines the decision process in states governments and the political-institutional context (intergovernmental flow of funds, competences of governmental entities in federation, legislatives proceedings) that produced, between 1988-2000, the proliferation of 1,438 new municipalities in Brazil (25% from total of municipalities). The approach emphasizes the role of institutional mechanisms on direction of actors' political strategies and determination of politics outcomes. The interpretation and empiric research produced the following hypothesis to explain this political process: 1) the new municipalities' proliferation process is resultant from mechanisms (institutional arrangement) which shaped a favourable situation to decisions that created the municipalities; and 2) the state variation in process shall have resulted from: (a) how the regulations changed the available quantity of localities/towns to be able to turn municipalities, (b) kind of interaction between executive/ legislative, (c) size/type of government coalition in state parliament and (d) existence of legal provision (about initiative and procedure of legislative proposition in the state parliament) which enlarged the autonomy of state parliament on decision process to create municipalities.

Cet article analyse le processus de décision régional (au niveau des États de la Fédération) et l'arrangement institutionnel (transferts fiscaux, compétences des organes fédératifs et procédures législatives) engendré entre 1988 et 2000 par 1.438 nouvelles communes au Brésil (1/4 du total des communes existantes). Notre approche met l'accent sur le rôle des mécanismes institutionnels dans l'orientation des stratégies des acteurs et dans la détermination des résultats politiques. L'interprétation et les données empiriques permettent l'élaboration des hypothèses explicatives suivantes: 1) le processus d'émancipation résulte de mécanismes (arrangement institutionnel) qui ont formé un environnement favorable aux décisions qui ont créé les communes; et 2) les variations régionales résulteraient: (a) de la manière dont la réglementation a modifié la possibilité de localités émancipables, (b) de la nature de l'interaction exécutif/législatif, (c) de la taille/type de coalition au sein du gouvernement, et; (d) de l'existence de dispositifs légaux (par l'initiative et le cheminement bureaucratique de la proposition) qui ont augmenté l'autonomie du législatif régional dans ce processus décisionnel.