Applying the EU principle of subsidiarity within EU rural development programmes: LEADER after the Agenda 2000 CAP reform in Castile-La Mancha

LEADER, beyond being a rural development programme, symbolises a paradigm shift in the territorial governance of rural areas. The LEADER approach emerged in the 1990s in tune with the postmodernist school on local development for modernising traditional models of public management. Despite its potential, there are difficulties involved in putting this approach into practice. This paper provides an operational assessment of EU rural development programmes based on the LEADER method and explores the lower levels of management. To do this, semi-structured in-depth interviews were held with first-line GAL managers in Castile-La Mancha. Mandatory restrictions contrary to the principle of subsidiarity, the socio-cultural characteristics of the local population, localisms, the integration of policies with local activities, or a lack of territorial identity, were identified as the main weaknesses in the design and implementation of programmes based on the LEADER approach.