Loss of a colleague and friend

We are saddened to report the death of our colleague and friend Luciano Vandelli of the University of Bologna on July 22.

We know the richness of Italian reflection on local and urban issues. Luciano Vandelli was one of the main drivers, if not the main driver, in the legal profession.

For a long time present on this intellectual scene, he offered a highly comparative look and strongly nourished with practical experience.

Comparative, he wrote the first systematic work on the system of the Spanish autonomous communities. He was extremely familiar with the French system: he regularly took part in national discussions, published in France and frequently took part in our seminars.

Its analyses were fed to an exceptional knowledge of the field realities, Luciano having successively been city council member to the City of Bologna, Vice-president of the province and city council member to administrative innovation and institutional reforms of the Emilia-Romagna Region. His theoretical-practical knowledge was queried and he was one of the main inspiration behind the recent legislation on metropolitan cities.

To discover his thoughts, we can read, for example: «Formes et tendances des relations entre collectivités territoriales» (Revue Française d'Administration Publique, 2007, n°1), “Evolution of decentralization in France and Italy: a comparative look” (with Marzia de Donno, Mélanges Marcou, 2018) or, if we understand Dante’s language, “Il sistema delle autonomie locali” (Il Mulino, 9° edition, 2018).

All our thoughts to his family.

Jean-Bernard Auby,
Sciences Po's emeritus professor