在歐洲分權化（decentralization）改革運動中，最基層自治組織亦歷經改革，其中最主要的問題是市鎮規模是否進行調整以及如何增進其競爭力。在擴大市鎮規模的主流思潮影響下，歐洲大部份國家主要是朝向減少市鎮數量進行改革，擴大市鎮規模，以期增加基層政府的競爭力，並承載適當的地方政府職責。然而，作為歐洲單一制國家代表的法國，在分權化的改革脈絡下，對於基層政府改革卻產生完全不同的改革模式。法國在歷經幾波分權化改革，並未複製其他歐洲國家的改革模式，市鎮數量並未減少，在不更動既有市鎮規模與數量的前提下，採取的是強化市鎮間合作，設置新的市鎮聯合體（intercommunalité），在維繫單一制國家體制設計下，依據「權力下放」（déconcentration）原則，中央將職權下放給基層地方政府組織，並透過財政手段進行分權化改革的政策工具，作為促進地方政府自願合作的誘因，改革之後，法國新的市鎮間規模已經接近其他歐洲國家的市鎮規模，間接達成另一種市鎮規模的合理化（rationalization）改革，這些政策內涵構成了獨特的法式分權化改革模式（décentralisation à la française）。本文透過比較觀點，從歐洲經驗的比較中分析法國獨特的基層政府改革模式。

In the reform movement of decentralization in Europe, the fundamental autonomous organizations also underwent reform. The most critical concerns are the adjustment of scale of communities and enhancement of their competitive advantages. With the influence of mainstream thoughts to expand scale of communities, most of the countries in Europe have attempted to reduce the number of communities and expand the scale in order to improve competitiveness of basic-level governments and undertake proper responsibilities of local governments. However, France, as the representative of unitary state in Europe, with the reform of decentralization, has totally different reform model in basic-level governments. After several reforms of decentralization, France does not reproduce reform models of other European countries. The number of communities is not reduced. With the same scale and number of communities, France tries to reinforce the cooperation among communities and establish new intercommunalité. Upon the design of unitary state, according to the principle of “déconcentration”, the central government empowers basic-level local governments. By financial measures, it practices policy of decentralization as the incentive for local governments’ voluntary cooperation. After the reform, the new scale of communities in France is similar to those in other European countries. It indirectly results in rationalization of scale of communities. The policies form unique décentralisation à la française. From a comparative perspective, this study analyzes unique reform model of basic-level governments in France by comparing European experiences.