How multilevel governance interactivity can contribute to the robust governance of crises. Insights from the Covid-19 and the asylum crises in Europe

Abstract

This article investigates how interactivity within multilevel governance (MLG) contributes to the robust governance of crises, understood as the capacity to maintain core public functions while flexibly adapting and innovating under turbulence. Building on a conceptual framework that distinguishes vertical/intergovernmental and horizontal/state-society dimensions of MLG, the study identifies three prevailing modes of interactivity—coordination, cooperation, and collaboration. Through eight qualitative case studies of robust crisis responses during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2015 asylum crisis across seven European countries, the article shows how different modes of MLG interactivity shape adaptive and innovative robust crisis governance. Findings highlight that coordination-driven MLG interactions predominated during COVID-19, supporting pragmatic adaptation, whereas the asylum crisis fostered multi-stakeholder collaboration enabling locally tailored innovation. Across all cases, informal, trust-based interactions proved essential to navigating uncertainty and enhancing robustness. By unpacking the modes through which multi-scalar and multi-stakeholder interactions unfold, the article contributes to a more grounded understanding of how MLG policymaking enables robust crisis governance.