The article provides detailed insights into the pre-parliamentary stage of the legislative process for the county-level territorial restructuring in Brandenburg. In the further development of specific aspects of the draft bill, the state government incorporated many of the demands of the county level representatives and local government umbrella organizations. The aggregated information supply as well as the citizen support of those arguing for similar modifications prove to be important factors for successful influence on policy formulation. On more fundamental issues, however, the state government expressed different positions from those of the county level representatives and local government umbrella organizations. For instance, the objection that territorial reform could only be justified on the basis of a comprehensive transfer of tasks remained a main point of criticism on the part of the municipal level. As a result, the government was unable to forge an alliance for reform, despite a high level of responsiveness to detailed demands. In the end, the countylevel territorial reform failed due to the joint resistance of the fundamental opposition groups and potential allies who fundamentally recognized the need for reform but did not agree with the draft bill as such.