ISSN 0354-8724 (hard copy) | ISSN 1820-7138 (online) The Impact of Suburbanisation on Power Relations in Settlements of Budapest Agglomeration Márton BagyuraA Received: June 11, 2019 | Revised: August 17, 2019 | Accepted: October 03, 2019 doi: 10.5937/gp24-22092 Abstract The aim of the current paper is to help to understand the transformation of suburban areas in Cen- tral Eastern European metropolitan regions with regard to the power relations. The study area is Bu- dapest Agglomeration, which has experienced significant social, economic, and environmental chang- es after the collapse of state socialist regimes due to the intense suburbanisation. This study examines the composition of municipal councils in Budapest Agglomeration and tests the hypothesis that dur- ing the suburbanisation, the newcomers seize the political power in the suburbs. The analysis based on a database about municipal councils members of 18 settlements, and there are data about the main so- cio-demographic characteristics of these settlements. The results show the growing number of settle- ments where the incomers become dominant in municipal councils. The role of socio-demographic fac- tors in this process is interesting as cannot be proved a clear relationship between these factors and the changes in municipal councils. Keywords: Budapest Agglomeration; suburbanisation; power relations; municipal council Introduction Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have the suburban areas than in the cities, and the sub- gone through a significant transformation after the urbs undergone previously rarely experienced devel- collapse of the state socialist regimes. The spontane- opment in infrastructure and services, even though ous socio-spatial processes could become intense af- this development was not always able to keep up ter the post-socialist transition because these were with the needs, which came with the new and grow- restricted by the state before. Common features were ing population. The newcomers forced several kinds in these countries the privatization of public hous- of development out, and new enterprises settled in ing and agriculture land, liberalization of the hous- the agglomeration and participated in the improve- ing market, increasing income, and evolve of the new ments. It was an unplanned development and une- local governance system. Socio-economic transfor- ven in space, namely there are better and worse de- mation comes along with intensive suburbanisation veloping settlements. In addition, the spatial pattern in the Post-Socialist region. This process has been an of social strata changed in the urban areas. The mid- essential urban phenomenon in the last three dec- dle class moved to the surroundings settlements, but ades, which has determined the development of met- in CEE, unlike the western suburbanisation, low- ropolitan areas and the spatial distribution of soci- status people also decided to leave the city in order ety. The population growth was more intensive in to decrease their housing costs (Brade et al., 2009; A Centre for Social Sciences – HAS Centre of Excellence, H-1097 Budapest, Tóth Kálmán u. 4. [email protected] Geographica Pannonica • Volume 24, Issue 1, 13–24 (March 2020) 13 The Impact of Suburbanisation on Power Relations in Settlements of Budapest Agglomeration Sailer-Fliege, 1999; Szelényi, 1996; Stanilov & Sýkora, at this point become important the question who has 2014a, 2014b, 2014c). the ability to enforce interest and how does it happen. In most respects, social consequences and char- Although momentous suburbanisation in Budapest acteristics of suburbanisation have been the same in Agglomeration started three decades ago, except for the Budapest Agglomeration as in the other post-social- exemplary description of the activity of local civil move- ist metropolitan areas. In connection with the local ments, has not been examined the change of power re- communities important result of migration from the lations in the suburbs systematically. The aim of this city to the suburbs is the evolve of high-status spaces paper to contribute to the understanding of the social in the suburban zone and even within its settlements consequences of suburbanisation on the local commu- (Csanádi et al., 2010) as previous studies presented nity, concerning power relations. Is it a rather complex similar processes in CEE metropolitan regions (e.g. subject; in this current study, I deal with the represen- Kährik & Tammaru, 2008; Krisjane & Berzins, 2012; tation of the new population in municipal councils. In Ourednícek, 2007). Western urban studies (e.g. Scic- Hungary, municipal councils decide on the way of lo- chitano & Johnson, 2012; Ross, 2014) presented that in cal public service development, the local tax rate, and suburban areas newcomers from upper-middle-class the settlement structure. In recent years the role of the try to influence the decisions of municipal councils councils has changed and declined significantly in sev- in order to serve the newcomers’ interests the devel- eral fields but still play a very important role in many opment of their settlements. The so-called ‘not in my cases. It is widely accepted that people who moved out backyard’ phenomenon is a striking example of how of Budapest want to participate in decision-making the new population can influence the further develop- about their settlements. It may be presumed that there ment of settlements. Similarly, in Budapest Agglom- is a clear relationship between the population growth eration has appeared the conflicts between the new- in suburbs and the proportion of new residents in the comers and the former residents because newcomers’ municipal councils. This concept, however, hardly ex- interests often contrasted with the former residents’ amined empirically. In this paper, I test this statement interests. Although in the Budapest Agglomeration based on data collected from councillors of 18 settle- the presence of the highly well-off population is less ments and answer the following questions. common than in Western metropolitan region, it is How has the proportion of people who moved out rather the home of the middle-class and upper-mid- of Budapest changed in municipal councils of suburbs dle-class. Nevertheless, the differences in lifestyle be- over the last three decades? tween the new and old populations are manifested How can socio-demographic characteristics ex- here in various conflicts (Csanádi et al., 2010; Váradi, plain the differences in the composition of municipal 1999). The conflicts can express in the local policy and councils among various settlements? Suburbanisation in Budapest Agglomeration Budapest agglomeration is a statistical zone inside the growth slowed down in the agglomeration, mostly metropolitan area. Delineation of the agglomeration due to the global financial crisis, decreasing mortgage is based on commuting relations and corresponds to subsidies, and urban renewal projects in Budapest’s the administrative boundaries in the agglomeration inner city (Kovács & Tosics, 2014). zone. Agglomeration includes settlements located Municipal councils in agglomeration have played near to Budapest and have experienced the suburban- an important role in the process of suburbanisation. isation since the post-socialist transition; thus, in this In the early 1990s, it was typical that they support- paper, this spatial unit is suitable to use for analysing ed the population growth and tried to make attrac- a long-term process. tive the residential area because they expected an in- In Budapest Agglomeration, suburbanisation ac- crease in revenue of settlements, mainly by the taxes celerated after the collapse of the socialist regime in (Szirmai et al., 2011; Tosics, 2006; Kovács, 1999). Later, 1989/90. The population of Budapest decreased by because of the changing tax system and consequent- 14.3% between 1990 and 2011 (from 2.017 to 1.73 mil- ly decreasing revenue, the leadership of the settle- lion) while the people of the agglomeration increased ments could not provide the proper services and in- by 38.8% in this period (from 448 to 622 thousand) frastructure for the local population and therefore, (HCSO, 1990, 2011). According to the available statisti- they changed their policy. The aim of this new poli- cal data, the entire area of the agglomeration has been cy was obstructing the population growth or finding involved in suburbanisation since the 1990s (HCSO, a way to reduce the adverse effects of the process (Sza- 2001, 2011). At the end of the 2000s, the population bó, 2003; Gergely, 2014). 14 Geographica Pannonica • Volume 24, Issue 1, 13–24 (March 2020) Márton Bagyura Effects of suburbanisation on Budapest Agglomer- isation, which have strengthened the socio-spatial dif- ation have been examined in many aspects. Various ferences (Csanádi et al., 2010; Váradi & Szirmai, 2012). form of economic activity appeared and workplaces In addition to the financial condition, several fac- have been created, although the increasing car use and tors influenced the choice of a new residence, such as commuting between home and the workplace has sev- the desire for a detached house, better housing con- eral harmful impacts on the environment and health dition than in the city, rural lifestyle, silence, tran- condition (Kondor, 2016; Kovács et al., 2019; Vára- quillity, green area and not least the role of the resi- di, 2014). Mainly but not exclusively due to the high dence in the individuals’ social status (Beluszky, 1999;