Editing Local government (section)

==Europe==
{{see also|European Charter of Local Self-Government}}

===Albania===
{{Main article|Counties of Albania|Districts of Albania|Municipalities of Albania|Administrative Units of Albania|Villages of Albania}}
Since [[Albanian Declaration of Independence|its Declaration of Independence]] from the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1912, [[Albania]] has reformed [[administrative divisions of Albania|its internal divisions]] 21 times. Before the implementation of the [[Albanian Constitution|1998 Constitution]], the primary division was into about 36 [[districts of Albania|districts]] ({{langx|sq|rrethe}}), whose number, size, and importance varied over time. Following their abolishment in the year 2000, the [[counties of Albania|counties]] were divided into [[urban municipality (Albania)|urban]] ({{lang|sq|bashki}}) and [[rural municipality (Albania)|rural municipalities]] ({{lang|sq|komuna}})<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moi.gov.al/english/images/pdf/qeverisja_vendore.pdf |title=On the Organization and Functioning of the Local Government, Republic of Albania, 2000 |access-date=27 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215175046/http://www.moi.gov.al/english/images/pdf/qeverisja_vendore.pdf |archive-date=15 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> until the [[2015 Albanian local elections|2015 elections]], when they were replaced by the current system.

Presently, Albania has 3{{ndash}}4 levels of local government :
* 12 [[counties of Albania|counties]] ({{lang|sq|qarqet}}), sometimes known as [[prefectures of Albania|prefectures]] ({{lang|sq|prefekturë}}) or administrative divisions
* 61 [[municipalities of Albania|municipalities]] ({{lang|sq|bashki}})
* 373 [[administrative units of Albania|administrative units]] ({{langx|sq|njësi administrative}}), sometimes known as [[communes of Albania|communes]] ({{lang|sq|komuna}}), which also oversee about 3,000 [[villages of Albania|villages]] ({{lang|sq|fshatra}})

The prefects who oversee each county are appointed by the [[Government of Albania|central government]], but the mayors of the municipalities and the local government councils are [[Elections in Albania|elected democratically]].<!--cites at various articles-->

===Andorra===
[[Andorra]] is formed by seven [[Parishes of Andorra|parishes]] (parròquies, singular – parròquia); [[Andorra la Vella]], [[Canillo]], [[Encamp]], [[La Massana]], [[Escaldes-Engordany]], [[Ordino]], [[Sant Julià de Lòria]].

Some parishes have a further territorial subdivision. Ordino, La Massana and Sant Julià de Lòria are subdivided into ''quarts'' (quarters), while Canillo is subdivided into 10 ''veïnats'' (neighborhoods). Those mostly coincide with villages, which are found in all parishes. Each parish has its own elected mayor who is the nominal head of the local government known as a ''comú'' in Catalan.

===Belarus===
{{Main article|Regions of Belarus}}
At the top level of administration, [[Belarus]] is divided into six ''regions'' and the city of [[Minsk]], which has a special status being the capital of Belarus. Minsk is also the capital of [[Minsk Region]].

At the second level, the regions are divided into ''[[raion]]s'' ("districts").

===Bulgaria===
{{Main article|Provinces of Bulgaria|Municipalities of Bulgaria}}

Since the 1880s, the number of territorial management units in [[Bulgaria]] has varied from seven to 26.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrrb.government.bg/index.php?do=atums&id=5&lang=bg&type=69|title=Историческо развитие на административно – териториалното устройство на Република България|publisher=Ministry of Regional Development|language=bg|access-date=26 December 2011}}</ref> Between 1987 and 1999 the administrative structure consisted of nine provinces (''oblasti'', singular ''[[oblast]]''). A new administrative structure was adopted in parallel with the decentralisation of the economic system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrrb.government.bg/index.php?lang=bg&do=atums&type=71&id=13|title=Областите в България. Портрети|publisher=Ministry of Regional Development|access-date=4 December 2011|archive-date=19 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619040835/http://www.mrrb.government.bg/index.php?lang=bg&do=atums&type=71&id=13|url-status=dead}}</ref> It includes 27 provinces and a metropolitan capital province (Sofia-Grad). All areas take their names from their respective capital cities. The provinces subdivide into 264 [[Municipalities of Bulgaria|municipalities]].

Municipalities are run by mayors, who are elected to four-year terms, and by directly elected municipal councils. Bulgaria is a highly [[centralization|centralised]] state, where the national Council of Ministers directly appoints regional governors and all provinces and municipalities are heavily dependent on it for funding.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Country Profile: Bulgaria|via=[[Library of Congress Country Studies]]|publisher=Library of Congress|year=2006|url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/cs/profiles/Bulgaria.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/cs/profiles/Bulgaria.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|access-date=1 April 2016
|page=17}}</ref>

===Croatia===
{{Main article|Counties of Croatia|List of cities in Croatia|Municipalities of Croatia}}

[[Croatia]] is divided into 20 counties and the capital city of [[Zagreb]], the latter having the authority and legal status of a county and a city at the same time. The counties subdivide into 127 [[List of cities in Croatia|cities]] and 429 [[Municipalities of Croatia|municipalities]].<ref name="CountiesAct2006">{{cite news|newspaper=Narodne novine|date=28 July 2006|access-date=9 September 2011|language=hr|title=Zakon o područjima županija, gradova i općina u Republici Hrvatskoj|trans-title=Territories of Counties, Cities and Municipalities of the Republic of Croatia Act|url=http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2006_07_86_2045.html}}</ref>

===Czech Republic===
{{Main article|Regions of the Czech Republic|Districts of the Czech Republic}}

The highest tier of local government in the [[Czech Republic]] are the [[List of regions of the Czech Republic|thirteen regions]] (Czech: [[wikt:en:kraj#Czech|''kraje'', singular ''kraj'']]) and the capital city of [[Prague]]. Each region has its own elected Regional Assembly (''krajské zastupitelstvo'') and ''hejtman'' (usually translated as [[hetman]] or [[governor]]). In Prague, their powers are executed by the city council and the mayor.

The regions are divided into seventy-six [[districts of the Czech Republic|districts]] (''okresy'', singular ''[[okres]]'') including three "statutory cities" (without Prague, which had special status). The districts lost most of their importance in 1999 in an administrative reform; they remain as territorial divisions and seats of various branches of state administration.<ref>[http://www.radio.cz/en/article/36046 The death of the districts], [[Radio Prague]] 3 January 2003.</ref> A further reform in effect since January 2003 created 204 Municipalities with Extended Competence (obce s rozšířenou působností); also obce III. stupně – third-level municipalities, unofficially also called "little districts" (Czech: 'malé okresy') which took over most of the administration of the former district authorities. Some of these are further divided between Municipalities with Commissioned Local Authority (obce s pověřeným obecním úřadem, shortened to pověřená obec, pl. pověřené obce; "second-level municipalities").  In 2007 the borders of the districts were slightly adjusted, and 119 municipalities are now within different districts.

===Denmark===
{{Main article|Regions of Denmark|Municipalities of Denmark}}

For local government purposes, [[Denmark]] is divided into five [[Regions of Denmark|regions]] ({{langx|da|regioner}}), with their most important area of responsibility being the public health service. They are also responsible for employment policies, while some regions are responsible for public mass transit. Regions are not financial independent as they rely entirely on central state funding (around 70%) and funding coming from the municipalities (around 30%). Regions are led by directly elected councils (''regionsråd'') consisting of 41 members each.

The regions are further divided into 98 [[Municipalities of Denmark|municipalities]] (''kommuner''). Elections for the municipalities are held on the third Tuesday of November every four years.

===Estonia===
{{Main article|Counties of Estonia|Municipalities of Estonia}}
[[File:Viljandi vanalinna muinsuskaitseala, raekoda ja vana veetorn..JPG|thumb|A town hall of [[Viljandi]]]]
[[Estonia]] is divided into 79 [[Municipalities of Estonia|municipalities]] (''omavalitsus''), and each municipality is a unit of self-government with its representative and executive bodies. Furthermore, the country is also divided into fifteen [[Counties of Estonia|counties]] ({{langx|et|maakonnad}}), each of which were used to be led by a county [[governor]] (''maavanem''), who represents the national government at the regional level. This although changed with 2017 [[Administrative reform in Estonia|administrative reform]].

===Finland===
{{Main article|Regions of Finland|Sub-regions of Finland|Municipalities of Finland}}
[[File:Kaupungintalo, City Hall, Vammala, Sastamala (1).jpg|thumb|Sastamala Town Hall in [[Vammala]], [[Sastamala]], Finland]]
The most important administrative layer of local government in [[Finland]] are the 311 [[Municipalities of Finland|municipalities]], which may also call themselves towns or cities. They account for half of public spending. Spending is financed by municipal income tax, [[property tax]], state subsidies, and other revenue.

In addition to municipalities, there are two intermediate levels of local government. Municipalities co-operate in seventy-four [[Sub-regions of Finland|sub-regions]] and nineteen [[Regions of Finland|regions]]. These are governed by the member municipalities and have only limited powers. However, the autonomous province of [[Åland]] has a directly elected regional council, and the [[Sami people]] have a semi-autonomous [[Sami Domicile Area]] in [[Lapland (Finland)|Lapland]] for issues on language and culture.

===France===
{{Main article|Decentralisation in France|Administrative divisions of France}}

According to its [[Constitution of France|Constitution]] of 1958, [[France]] has 3 levels of local government:
*13 ''Régions'' (including [[Corsica]]) and 5 ''Régions d'outre-mer'' ([[Réunion]], [[Martinique]], [[Mayotte]], [[Guadeloupe]] and [[French Guiana]]). Corsica is not referred to as a "région" but simply as a "collectivité territoriale", that merely means "local government area".
*96 ''[[Departments of France|départements]]'' and 5 ''[[Overseas department|départements d'outre-mer]]'' (Réunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique, [[Mayotte]] and French Guiana). [[Paris]] is both a commune and a département.
*There are 36,679 [[Communes of France|municipalities]] (in French: ''Communes'').

However, in addition to the constitutional clauses of 1958, there now exist specificities:
*Intercommunalities are now a level of government between municipalities and departments.
*There exist 2 "pays d'outre-mer": [[French Polynesia]] and [[New Caledonia]]. The expression "pays d'outre-mer" is convenient as it can be understood in French as both "overseas country" and "overseas county/traditional area" (as evidenced by [[Pays de la Loire]] that is a home région, not a home "country"). French Polynesia works as an autonomous ''région'', whereas New Caledonia has a ''sui generis'' local government status with specific institutions and even more autonomy.

===Germany===
{{Main article|Federalism in Germany|States of Germany#Subdivisions}}

===Greece===
{{Main article|Modern regions of Greece|Municipalities and communities of Greece}}

Since 1 January 2011, [[Greece]] consists of thirteen [[modern regions of Greece|regions]] subdivided into a total of 325 [[Municipalities and communities of Greece|municipalities and communities]]. The regions have their own elected governors and regional councils, however there are seven decentralized administrations, which group from one to three regions under a government-appointed general secretary. There is also one [[autonomous area]], [[Mount Athos]].

===Hungary===
{{Main article|Counties of Hungary|Districts of Hungary}}

For local government, [[Hungary]] is divided into 19 [[Counties of Hungary|counties]]. In addition, the [[Capitals of Hungary|capital]] (''főváros''), [[Budapest]] and the 25 [[City with county rights (Hungary)|Cities with county rights]] (''megyei jogú városok'') is independent of any county government. But all the county capitals are cities with county rights, except [[Pest county]] where Budapest is the capital of the county.

The local authorities of these cities have extended powers, but they belong to the territory of the respective county instead of being independent territorial units.

The counties are further subdivided into 198 [[Districts of Hungary|districts]] (''járások''), and Budapest is its own [[List of districts in Budapest|23 districts]] (''kerületek'').

===Iceland===
{{Main article|Municipalities of Iceland}}

The [[Municipalities of Iceland]] are local administrative areas in Iceland that provide a number of services to their inhabitants such as [[kindergarten]]s, [[elementary school]]s, [[waste management]], [[social services]], [[public housing]], [[public transportation]], services to [[senior citizen]]s and [[disability|handicap]]ped people. They also govern [[zoning]] and can voluntarily take on additional functions if they have the budget for it. The autonomy of municipalities over their own matters is guaranteed by the [[constitution of Iceland]].

The municipalities are governed by municipal councils which are directly elected every four years. The sizes of these councils vary from five members in the smallest municipalities to fifteen in the largest one. Most municipalities except for the very small ones hire an executive manager who may or may not be a member of the municipal council. These managers are usually referred to as [[mayor]]s (''bæjarstjóri / borgarstjóri'') in the mostly urban municipalities but "commune manager" (''sveitarstjóri'') in the rural or mixed municipalities.

===Ireland===
{{Main article|Local government in the Republic of Ireland}} The [[Republic of Ireland|Republic of Ireland's]] local government is laid out by the [[Local Government Reform Act 2014]]. With a few exceptions, local government is two-tier. At the lowest level are the municipal, metropolitan or borough councils, which are elected during local elections. These councillors from the relevant county then together form the council, termed either County or City and County Councils. For example, the 4 municipal districts in Westmeath County each elect their own councils, who together form [[Westmeath County Council]]. Many functions are performed by the Chief Executive, who is appointed by the Minister for Local Government.

The exceptions to the above is the county of Dublin and the cities of Cork and Galway, the later two's councils are directly elected with no lower council. Dublin county is made up of four local area authorities, each elected directly. There are thirty-one local authorities.

The main sources of funding for local government in Ireland are local property and motor tax revenues, payments from the Exchequer, charges for goods and services, and state grants.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Local government facts and figures: Ireland|url=https://lgiu.org/local-government-facts-and-figures-ireland/|access-date=2021-10-01|website=lgiu.org|language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Italy===
The [[Constitution of Italy]] defines three levels of local government:
*[[Regions of Italy|Regions]]: they were first acknowledged after the [[1946 Italian institutional referendum|birth of the Italian republic]] in 1948. Numbering 20, they acquired a significant degree of autonomy after a constitutional reform was passed in 2001. Furthermore, 5 of them (namely Valle d'Aosta, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Sardinia and Sicily) have a special status and are given even more power than the 15 others.
*[[Provinces of Italy|Provinces]]: they were the only local bodies in effect during the [[Kingdom of Italy]] (from the [[unification of Italy]] in 1861 to the birth of the Republic in 1948). Consequently, they used to serve many functions, but these were reduced as Regions absorbed more and more competences. Nowadays they number 107 and mostly care to roads, school buildings, and local zoning and planning. Finally, from 2015 onwards, 14 provinces officially became ''[[metropolitan cities of Italy|metropolitan cities]]''.
*[[Comune|Communes]]: The Mayor and staff, caring for the needs of a single town or of a village and neighbouring minor towns or villages.

Major cities also have an extra tier of local government named ''Circoscrizione di Decentramento Comunale'' or, in some cities (e.g. Rome) ''Municipio''.

===Latvia===
{{Main article|Administrative divisions of Latvia}}

[[Latvia]] is a unitary state, currently divided into 110 municipalities ({{langx|lv|novadi}}) and 9 republican cities ({{langx|lv|republikas pilsētas}}) with their own council.

===Liechtenstein===
Liechtenstein is divided into eleven [[Municipalities of Liechtenstein|municipalities]] (''Gemeinden''{{spaced ndash}} singular ''Gemeinde''), most consisting of only a single town.

===Lithuania===
{{Main article|Counties of Lithuania|Municipalities of Lithuania|Elderships of Lithuania}}
{{Update|date=June 2013}}

Lithuania has a three-tier division of local government: the country is divided into [[Counties of Lithuania|10 counties]] (Lithuanian: singular – ''apskritis'', plural – ''apskritys'') that are further subdivided into [[Municipalities of Lithuania|60 municipalities]] (Lithuanian: singular – ''savivaldybė'', plural – ''savivaldybės'') which consist of over 500 [[Elderships of Lithuania|elderships]] (Lithuanian: singular – ''seniūnija'', plural – ''seniūnijos'').

The counties are ruled by [[County governor (Lithuania)|county governor]]s (Lithuanian: ''apskrities viršininkas'') appointed by the central government, and effectively oversee the two lower tiers of local government.

Municipalities are the most important administrative unit of local government. Each municipality has its own government and council, with elections taking place every four years. The mayor, who is a member of the council, is elected directly by the residents in a majority vote.<ref>[https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.5884/AhmzPhOiSh Suvestinių redakcijų sąrašas pagal datą] List on the website ''e-seimas.lrs.lt''. Retrieved 30 March 2021.</ref> The council appoints [[elder (administrative title)|elders]] to govern the elderships.

Elderships, numbering over 500, are the smallest units of local government. They provide public services such as registering births and deaths and identifying individuals or families in need of welfare.

===Malta===
Malta is a unitary [[city state]] divided into 68 municipalities ([[Local councils of Malta|local councils]]), according to the constitution of the Malta.

===Netherlands===
{{Main article|Municipal politics in the Netherlands|Provincial politics in the Netherlands}}
The Netherlands has three tiers of local government: national, provincial, municipal and water board.

The Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces (''[[provinces of the Netherlands|provincie]]'', pl. ''provincies''). They form the tier of administration between the central government and the municipalities. Each province is governed by a provincial council, the States-Provincial (''[[Provinciale Staten]]'', abbr. to ''PS''). Its members are elected every four years. The day-to-day management of the province is in the hands of the provincial executive, the States Deputed (''[[Gedeputeerde Staten]]'', abbr. to ''GS''). Members of the executive are chosen by the provincial council. The size of the executive varies from one province to another. In [[Flevoland]], the smallest of the Dutch provinces, it has four members, while most other provinces have six or seven. Meetings of the provincial executive are chaired by the King's Commissioner (''[[Commissaris van de Koningin|Commissaris van de Koning(in)]]'', abbr. to ''CvdK''). The King's Commissioner is not elected by the residents of the province, but appointed by the Crown (the King and government ministers). The appointment is for six years and may be extended by a second term. The King's Commissioner can be dismissed only by the Crown. King's Commissioners play an important part in the appointment of municipal mayors. When a vacancy arises, the King's Commissioner first asks the municipal council for its views as to a successor, then writes to the Minister of the Interior recommending a candidate.

Municipalities (''[[list of municipalities of the Netherlands|gemeente]]'', pl. ''gemeenten'') form the lowest tier of government in the Netherlands, after the central government and the provinces. There are 415 of them (1 January 2012). The municipal council (''[[gemeenteraad]]'') is the highest authority in the municipality. Its members are elected every four years. The role of the municipal council is comparable to that of the board of an organisation or institution. Its main job is to decide the municipality's broad policies and to oversee their implementation. The day-to-day administration of the municipality is in the hands of the municipal executive (''[[college van burgemeester en wethouders]]'', abbr. to ''(college van) B&W)'', made up of the mayor (''[[burgemeester]]'') and the aldermen (''[[wethouder]]'', pl. ''wethouders''). The executive implements national legislation on matters such as social assistance, unemployment benefits and environmental management. It also bears primary responsibility for the financial affairs of the municipality and for its personnel policies. Aldermen are appointed by the council. Councillors can be chosen to act as aldermen. In that case, they lose their seats on the council and their places are taken by other representatives of the same political parties. Non-councillors can also be appointed. Unlike councillors and aldermen, mayors are not elected (not even indirectly), but are appointed by the Crown. Mayors chair both the municipal council and the executive. They have a number of statutory powers and responsibilities of their own. They are responsible for maintaining public order and safety within the municipality and frequently manage the municipality's public relations. As Crown appointees, mayors also have some responsibility for overseeing the work of the municipality, its policies and relations with other government bodies. Although they are obliged to carry out the decisions of the municipal council and executive, they may recommend that the Minister of the Interior quash any decision that they believe to be contrary to the law or against the public interest. Mayors are invariably appointed for a period of six years. They can be dismissed only by the Crown and not by the municipal council.

Water boards (''[[waterschap]]'' and ''[[hoogheemraadschap]]'', pl. ''waterschappen'' and ''hoogheemraadschappen'') are among the oldest government authorities in the Netherlands. They literally form the foundation of the whole Dutch system of local government; from time immemorial they have shouldered the responsibility for water management for the residents of their area. In polders this mainly involves regulating the water level. It has always been in the common interest to keep water out and polder residents have always had to work together. That is what led to the creation of water boards. The structure of the water boards varies, but they all have a general administrative body and an executive board (''[[college van dijkgraaf en heemraden]]'') consisting of a chairperson (''[[dijkgraaf (official)|dijkgraaf]]'') and other members (''[[heemraad|(hoog)heemraad]]'', pl. ''(hoog)heemraden''). The chairperson also presides the general administrative body. This body consists of people representing the various categories of stakeholders: landholders, leaseholders, owners of buildings, companies and, since recently, all the residents as well. Importance and financial contribution decide how many representatives each category may delegate. Certain stakeholders (e.g. environmental organisations) may be given the power to appoint members. The general administrative body elects the executive board from among its members. The government appoints the chairperson for a period of six years. The general administrative body is elected for a period of four years. In the past the administrative body was elected as individuals but from 2009 they will be elected as party representatives.

===Norway===
Norway had 357 municipalities of varying size in 2024, each administered by an elected municipal council. They are grouped into 15 counties (fylker), each governed by an elected county council.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-07 |title=Norske fylke og kommunar |url=https://kartverket.no/til-lands/fakta-om-norge/norske-fylke-og-kommunar |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Kartverket.no |language=nn-NO}}</ref>

Each county has a governor appointed by the central government, responsible for ensuring legality in their administration.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.statsforvalteren.no/en/portal/About-us/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=County Governor - Statsforvalteren.no |language=en}}</ref> The municipal sector is a provider of vital services to the Norwegian public, accounting for about 20% of Norwegian GNP and 24% of total employment. They have the right to tax and to use their resources to support education, libraries, social security, and public works such as streetcar lines, gas and electricity works, roads, and town planning, but they are usually aided in these activities by state funds.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Oslo is the only urban center that alone constitutes a county; the remaining 14 counties consist of both urban and rural areas. County and municipal councils are popularly elected every four years.

===Portugal===
{{Main article|Autonomous regions of Portugal|Districts of Portugal|Municipalities of Portugal|Freguesias of Portugal}}

Currently, mainland Portugal is divided into 18 districts (in Portuguese, ''distritos''). Each district takes the name of their respective capital city.  Insular Portugal, comprising the two [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] [[archipelago]]s of the [[Azores]] and [[Madeira]], is organized as two [[Autonomous regions of Portugal|autonomous regions]] (in Portuguese, ''regiões autónomas'').

Each district and each Autonomous region is divided into municipalities (in Portuguese, ''municípios'') which, in turn, are subdivided into parishes (in Portuguese, ''[[freguesia]]s'').

Since 1976, when the two Autonomous regions of Portugal were established, the Azores and Madeira are no longer divided into districts.

===Poland===
{{Main article|Administrative divisions of Poland|Voivodeships of Poland}}
Poland has three levels of subdivision. The Polish territory is divided into 16 [[Administrative divisions of Poland|voivodeships]] (provinces); these are further divided into 379 [[Gmina|powiats]] (counties or districts), and these powiats are further divided into 2,479 gminas (communes or municipalities). Major cities normally have the status of both gmina and powiat.

Each voivodeship is jointly governed by the National-government appointed [[voivode]] and a locally elected [[Voivodeship sejmik|sejmik]] (provincial assembly), which appoints an executive board led by a [[voivodeship marshal]].

===Russia===
{{Main article|Subdivisions of Russia|Federal subjects of Russia|Municipal divisions of Russia}}
The Russian Federation consistes of eighty-five federal subjects that are constituent members of the Federation.  However, two of these federal subjects — the [[Republic of Crimea (Russia)|Republic of Crimea]] and the [[federal cities of Russia|federal city]] of [[Sevastopol]]—are internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. All federal subjects are of equal federal rights in the sense that they have equal representation—two delegates each—in the [[Federation Council of Russia|Federation Council]] ([[upper house]] of the [[Federal Assembly of Russia|Federal Assembly]]). But they do differ in the degree of [[autonomous area|autonomy]] they enjoy.

The modern administrative-territorial structures of the federal subjects vary significantly from one federal subject to another. While the implementation details may be considerably different, in general, however, the following types of high-level administrative divisions are recognized:
*administrative districts ([[raion]]s)
*[[city of federal subject significance|cities/towns]] and [[urban-type settlement#Administrative divisions|urban-type settlements]] of federal subject significance
*[[closed city#Russia|closed administrative-territorial formations]]

Typical lower-level administrative divisions include:
*[[selsoviet]]s (rural councils)
*[[town of district significance|towns and urban-type settlements of the administrative district significance]]
*city districts

===Slovenia===
Slovenia has only one level of local self-government established: municipalities. The [https://www.us-rs.si/legal-basis/constitution/?lang=en Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia] provides also basis for establishing second level, regions, but they haven't been established yet (Article 143).
There are two types of municipalities in Slovenia:
*urban municipalities (Art. 141 of the Constitution)
*(rural) municipalities (Art. 139 of the Constitution)
Slovenia signed (1994) and ratified (1996) European Charter of Local Self-Government without any reservations. The Charter is in force since March 1, 1997. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (Council of Europe) performed three [https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/congress-reports#{%2254213415%22:%5B40%5D} monitorings] (2001, 2011, and 2018).

===Spain===
{{Main article|Local government in Spain|Municipalities of Spain|Comarcas of Spain}}
Spain is divided into 17 [[autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous communities]], which in turn are divided into 50 [[provinces of Spain|provinces]]. There are also two [[autonomous cities of Spain|autonomous cities]]: those of [[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]]. Finally, each province comprises a number of municipalities.

Each administrative entity is given powers, structure, and boundaries by a law that was passed by the [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]] .

Law 7/1985,<ref>[http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/l7-1985.html Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local]. Noticias.juridicas.com. Retrieved on 2 December 2012.</ref> passed by the former Spanish Prime Minister [[Felipe González Márquez]] (socialist), lays down the procedure of the Local Government. Every city in Spain used this Law until 2003. This year, the former Spanish Prime Minister [[José María Aznar]] (conservative), passed a Law (57/2003)<ref>[http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/l57-2003.html Ley 57/2003, de 16 de diciembre, de medidas para la modernización del gobierno local]. Noticias.juridicas.com. Retrieved on 2 December 2012.</ref> to modernize organic rules of those cities which had more than 250,000 inhabitants, and other important cities (like capital cities of provinces with at least 175,000 inhabitants). Also, it exists two other important Laws for specifically Madrid (Law 22/2006)<ref>[http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/l22-2006.html Ley 22/2006, de 4 de julio, de Capitalidad y de Régimen Especial de Madrid]. Noticias.juridicas.com. Retrieved on 2 December 2012.</ref> and Barcelona (Law 1/2006).<ref>[http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/l1-2006.html Ley 1/2006, de 13 de marzo, por la que se regula el Régimen Especial del municipio de Barcelona]. Noticias.juridicas.com. Retrieved on 2 December 2012.</ref> The main governing body in most municipalities is called Ayuntamiento (in the less populated municipalities an alternative local organization system called open council, "''concejo abierto''", is used). The Ayuntamiento in turn is formed by the Plenary (''el Pleno'', the collective formed by the city councillors) and the Mayor. The number of members that compose The Plenary varies depending on city's population (for example, since 2007 Valencia has 33 members and Pamplona has 27). The name given to the members of the Plenary is councillor (''concejal''). Those councillors are elected between city's inhabitants every four years by direct vote. After being elected, councillors meet in a special Plenary session to determine who will be elected, between them, as city's Mayor. In the next days after the election, the mayor chooses some councillors to set up the executive governing body (''Junta de Gobierno'' or ''Comisión de Gobierno''). After that, and for the next four years, city's mayor and the ''Junta de Gobierno'' will govern over the city according to their competences (urbanism, some taxes, local police, licenses for specific activities, cleaning services, etc.). Meanwhile, councillors in the Plenary but not part of the ''Junta de Gobierno'' (the opposition) will oversee Mayor's rule.
The autonomous community of Catalonia is divided in 4 provinces and more than 900 municipalities. Between these two tiers, there are 41 ''comarques'' (singular, ''comarca''), roughly equivalent to 'district' or 'county'. The ''comarca'' is a commonwealth, or union, of municipalities with competences in several fields (Law 6/1987 of the Parliament of Catalonia).

===Sweden===
{{Main article|Municipalities of Sweden|County councils of Sweden}}

Every fourth year general elections are held in Sweden to elect members of the national parliament, 20 county council assemblies and 290 municipal assemblies. As the parliament elects the national government, the local assemblies elect their executive committees and their boards. Members in local committees and boards are elected proportionally by the political parties in the assemblies, giving all the major parties representation. The parties usually cooperate well on the local levels.

The county councils (''landsting'') are responsible for health care and usually provide transportation.

The municipalities (''kommuner'') are responsible for:
*social services, childcare, preschool, [[elderly care]]
*primary and secondary education
*planning and building
*health protection, water, sewerage, refuse, emergency services

On a voluntary basis, the municipalities provide sports, culture, housing, energy as well as commercial service.

The activities are financed by income taxes. Swedes pay around 20% of their taxable income to the municipality and around 11% to the county council. (The national government is financed by VAT and payroll taxes and fees.)

===Ukraine===
{{Main article|Local government in Ukraine}}

===United Kingdom===
The system of local government is different in each of the four home nations of the UK. In total there are 426 local authorities in the UK. 346 of these are in England, 11 in Northern Ireland, 32 in Scotland and 22 are in Wales.

====England====
{{Main article|Local government in England}}
{{See also|Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England}}

The most complex system is in England, the result of numerous reforms and reorganisation over the centuries. The top-level of sub-national administration within England until the end of March 2012 consisted of the nine [[Region (England)|regions]]. The regions were used by central government for various statistical purposes, and [[Government Offices for the English Regions]] and assorted other institutions including [[Regional development agency|Regional Development Agencies]]. Regional Government Offices, Regional Development Agencies and Regional Ministers were all abolished by the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|Cameron ministry]] in 2010. Only the London region which is a sub-region compared to the other regions of England has a directly elected government. Only one regional referendum has been held to date to seek consent for the introduction of direct elections elsewhere — by [[John Prescott]] in the northeast of England — and this was initially rejected by the people of the [[North East England|North East]] in 2004.

The layers of elected local government vary. In different areas the highest tier of elected local government may be:
*[[counties of England|counties]], which may be
**single-tier [[unitary authorities of England|unitary authorities]], or
**divided into [[District (England)|districts]] (also known as boroughs in some areas)
*[[Districts of England|districts]], which are separate [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authorities]] in some areas
*[[metropolitan district]]s (also called metropolitan boroughs) in some areas which are similar to unitary authorities, but have [[Joint-board|joint boards]] with other districts in the same [[metropolitan county]]
*[[Greater London]], which is divided into 32 [[London borough]]s and the [[City of London]]

In most areas there is a lower tier of government, [[Civil parishes in England|civil parishes]], with unlimited functions and powers under the [[Localism Act 2011|2011 Localism Act]].

Most civil parishes are in rural areas, but if the parish is a town the [[Parish councils of England|parish council]] may be called a [[town council]]. In a few cases the parish is a [[City status in the United Kingdom|city]], and the parish council is called a [[city council]].

Metropolitan counties, and a few [[non-metropolitan counties]], no longer have elected councils or administrative functions, and their former functions are performed by districts. Such counties remain [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial counties]].

====Isle of Man====
{{Main article|Local government in the Isle of Man}}
Local government on the [[Isle of Man]] is partly based on the ancient parishes. There are four types of local authorities: a borough corporation, town commissioners, village commissioners, and parish commissioners.

====Northern Ireland====
{{Main article|Local government in Northern Ireland}}
Since 1 April 2015 Northern Ireland is divided into 11 districts. Local government in Northern Ireland does not carry out the same range of functions as those in the rest of the United Kingdom.

====Scotland====
{{Main article|Local government of Scotland}}
Local government in Scotland is arranged on the lines of [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]], with the nation divided into 32 [[council areas of Scotland|council areas]].

====Wales====
{{Main article|Local government in Wales}}
Wales has a uniform system of 22 unitary authorities, variously styled as county, county borough, city or city and county local authorities. There are also [[Community (Wales)|communities]], equivalent to parishes.

The [[Local Government Association]] (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities in England and Wales. Its core membership is made up of 317 English councils and the 22 Welsh councils through the Welsh Local Government Association. Across the UK, the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) also works to assist local authorities in the UK to improve their frontline services. APSE works with more than 250 local authorities "to advise and share information and expertise on a broad range of frontline public services".<ref>Association for Public Service Excellence, [https://apse.org.uk/apse/index.cfm/about/what-we-do/ What we do], accessed on 26 August 2024</ref>