The article assesses the rise in importance of cities in Europe, which are relying on their demographic and economic dynamism, on the one hand, and their political strategies on the other. In most European countries, urban elites are trying to implement medium‐term development strategies and to fight against fragmentation. Globalisation represents both a constraint and an opportunity for cities; it does not determine their strategies or policies. Though often in the background, the state remains an important factor in the evolution of cities in Europe, but not a dominant one. This emergence of the city as a player goes hand in hand with processes of identity redefinition and collective strategies.
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