The problems of institutionalizing municipal strategic planning

The creation of a national strategic planning system is now seen as a top priority in the system of institutional reforms. A lot of research works are devoted to assessing the practice of strategic planning at the level of the Russia’s constituent entities. As for municipal strategies for socio-economic development, their number is significantly low. Analysis and generalization of the practice of municipal strategic planning is extremely relevant since local self-government is an integral part of the system of federal relations. The purpose of the study is to assess the state, identify the contradictions and main problem points arising in the framework of the practice of municipal strategic planning and the Law “On strategic planning in the Russian Federation” no. 172-FZ. It is shown that the transition to strategic planning of territorial communities as a whole fits into the global trends. At the same time, the law contains a number of contradictions that constrain the institutionalization of strategic planning in municipal units. According to the author, the key issue is the inconsistency of the model laid down in 172-FZ. The article shows that the permissive regime of municipal strategic planning, the unresolved question of the practical correlation of strategic and territorial planning, permanent deficit of municipal budgets, underestimated role of stakeholders in the development and implementation of municipal strategies, lack of attention to the institutions of inter-municipal cooperation do not helps use the potential opportunities inherent in the institution of strategic planning. The author uses content analysis of municipal programs and strategies for socio-economic development as the main research method. It is shown that, on the one hand, the goals stated in most strategies are extremely abstract, on the other - they represent objectives the solution of which, one way or another, refers to the subjects of local governance. The main conclusions of the article can be used to make additions to Law no. 172-FZ in terms of municipal strategic planning, as well as to be taken into account in the practice of municipal strategic planning.