Residents’ expectations from the municipality in an age of urban-national polarisation

The global phenomenon of reactionary cities opposing reactionary nation-states has garnered increasing attention in recent years, with cities such as Istanbul, Warsaw and Tel Aviv–Jaffa serving as prominent examples. While the existing literature has explored various elements of this trend, it has largely overlooked the perspectives of ordinary city dwellers on this process. This study explores city residents’ perceptions of the municipality’s role in promoting liberal policy agendas traditionally associated with the national level. Using an original survey conducted in Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Israel, we propose a novel typology that classifies residents as ‘Liberals’, ‘Municipalists’ or ‘Conservatives’ based on their local policy preferences. Our findings reveal a significant liberal group (28%) that prioritises municipal involvement in ‘big’ liberal issues over traditional municipal functions. This diverse group, which is pessimistic about the country’s future, supports progressive policies at the local level. The study also profiles the three groups in terms of socio-demographic variables and examines the factors influencing their attitudes. This research contributes to understanding the role that progressive municipalities assume in times of growing urban-national polarisation, offering insights and tools that might be applicable to other cities worldwide facing similar challenges.