LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES IN DENMARK
Denmark is a unitary state composed of municipalities (kommuner) and regions (regioner).
Local level: 98 municipalities (kommuner)
Local authorities
The municipal council is composed of members elected for four years by a system of proportional representation. This deliberative body appoints members of the executive commissions.
The executive commissions are in charge of local administration. Permanent commissions assist the municipal council in the preparation of its decisions. The municipal council is obliged to set up a financial committee but may also set up special committees.
The mayor is elected for four years by the council. He/she heads the whole administration and the municipal council.
A new municipal structure came into force in January 2007, based on which the number of municipalities was reduced while their overall sizes were increased. This model now requires municipalities to have a minimum of 20 000 inhabitants, although those with a population of less than 20 000 are accepted as long as they establish a legally binding cooperation with a larger municipality. The competencies of the different levels of governance were also redistributed at this time between the state, regions and municipalities.
Local competences
. Education
. Local taxation
. Child care
. Culture and sport
. Public and social services
. Health care
. Employment and integration
. Labour market
. Business services
. Collective transport and roads
. Nature, environment and planning
. Industrial and economic development
. Administration and digitalisation
. Technology
. Economy
Regional level: 5 regions (regioner)
Regional authorities
The regional council is the governing body of the region. It is composed of 41 members elected by direct universal suffrage for a period of four years.
The regional council president is the head of the regional council. He is elected by the regional council from amongst its members.
The executive committee is elected by the regional council. It is composed of 11 to 19 members. The regional council can decide to establish ad-hoc committees to assist and advise the council in its work.
Each Danish region, as well as the Island of Bornholm, is also in charge of a regional growth forum, which is composed of up to 20 representatives from the region, municipalities, local trade and industry, knowledge institutions and the labour market. The mission of each growth forum is to create optimal conditions for trade and industry in order to generate growth and development.
Since January 2007, a new regional structure was adopted replacing the pre-existing 14 counties with today's five regions. The Danish regions now have between 0.6 and 1.6 million inhabitants.
Regional competences
. Health care
. Hospital
. Health insurance
. Mental health treatment
. Social services and special education
. Regional development
. Business promotion
. Tourism
. Nature and environment
. Employment
. Education and culture
. Development in remote areas and in rural districts
. Soil pollution, raw material mapping and planning
. Public transport
Finances
The regions cannot levy taxes directly, but are financed through contributions from the state and the municipalities. The region's economy is divided into three separate parts: health, social services and special education, and regional development.
Notes
Greenland and the Faeroe Islands have an autonomous status. They both have their own government and legislative assembly.
