LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES IN FRANCE
France is a unitary state composed of municipalities, departments and regions.
Local level: 36 682 municipalities
Local authorities
The municipal council is composed of councillors elected by direct universal suffrage for a six-year term. The mayor heads this deliberative assembly.
The mayor and his/her deputies represent the municipality's executive. The mayor is elected by and within the council. He/she is in charge of the municipal administration.
Traditional local competences
. Registry office functions
. Electoral functions
. Social work
. Education
. Maintenance of municipal roads
. Land development and planning
. Local public order
Devolved local competences
. Urban planning
. Education
. Economic development
. Housing
. Social work
. Culture
Note
Municipalities can regroup within inter-municipal structures. Starting in 2014, belonging to an inter-municipal structure will become mandatory for all municipalities.
Inter-municipal structures have limited competences but can exercise certain responsibilities generally allocated to the regional and general councils on behalf of the local, departmental and regional authorities in question.
The City of Paris is both a department and a municipality.
Intermediary level: 96 departments and five overseas departments
Departmental authorities
The general council is the department's deliberative body. The council is composed of members elected by direct universal suffrage for a six-year term and half of it is renewed every three years. It is composed of specialised committees. Since August 2004 and on an experimental basis, general councils can manage European structural funds.
The president of the council is the department's executive authority. He/she is elected by and from within the council for three years and is assisted by a permanent committee composed of vice-presidents.
The prefect represents the country's prime minister and ministers within the department. He/she is in charge of maintaining public order and holds police powers, providing him/her with the status of administrative police. The prefect is also in charge of monitoring the legality of the local authorities' actions.
Departmental competences
. Social and health-related work
. Urban planning and equipment
. Education, culture and heritage
. Economic actions
. Environment
Note
On 31 March 2011, Mayotte acquired the status of department, which brings the total number of overseas departments in France to five.
Regional level: 22 regions and four overseas regions
Regional authorities
The regional council, called territorial assembly in Corsica, is the region's deliberative body. The council is composed of councillors elected by direct universal suffrage for a six-year term. Since August 2004 and on an experimental basis, regional councils can manage European structural funds.
The permanent committee is a deliberative board that assists the council in the execution of some of its competences. It is composed of the region's vice-presidents.
The president is elected by the regional council for a six-year term. He/she is the region's executive and is the head of the regional administration. The president's functions are similar to those of the president of the department.
The prefect of the region is responsible for the services devolved to the regions by the state. Other competences include relaying the government's policy on big projects, monitoring the legality of the region's acts and the respect of budgetary rules, preparing policies for the region's economic, social and territorial development.
Regional competences
. Economic development
. Territorial development
. Transport
. Education, job training programmes and culture
. Construction and maintenance of secondary schools
. Health
Note
Corsica has a specific status and specific institutions (Corsican assembly, executive council).
The territorial reform acts adopted in November 2010 modify the general organisation of local, departmental and regional authorities starting in 2014. They notably plan for the creation of a territorial councillor: a single elected representative to preside over the regional and general councils.
There are three types of overseas communities:
. Overseas departments and regions (DOM and ROM)
. Overseas communities
. New Caledonia and the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF)
