Abstract
Between 2007 and 2013, the aims of the European Policy for Rural Development have benefited from the LEADER policy instrument that can be differently interpreted depending on countries. From two case studies, France and Lithuania, we analyze how the institutional organization of the device at local level allows understanding the system of actors and how it fits to the situations of each country and the corresponding project territories. A comparative approach based on a common survey and analysis methodology was carried out on four project territories, Joniškis and Ignalina in Lithuania, and Gévaudan-Lozère and Pays Cœur-d’Hérault in France. It shows that, in all cases, a form of “municipalization” of the LEADER program, or at least a strong integration of the associative sector, prevails and seems to be achieved. Analyzing the network of actors allows identifying the relations in terms of mutual acquaintance but also of interdependence within the system. The formation of the “social capital of individuals” is often an input key, and even a keystone of the system of actors in place. Last, the review of the project selection process leads to a real understanding of the features of the new public action mode by analyzing the distribution of projects in these same local territories.