Editing Metz (section)

== Law and government ==

=== Local law ===
{{Main|Local law in Alsace-Moselle}}
The ''local law'' ({{Langx|fr|droit local}}) applied in Metz is a legal system that operates in parallel with [[French law]]. Created in 1919, it preserves the French laws applied in France before 1870 and maintained by the Germans during the annexation of [[Alsace-Lorraine]], but repealed in the rest of France after 1871. It also maintains German laws enacted by the [[German Empire]] between 1871 and 1918, specific provisions adopted by the local authorities, and French laws that have been enacted after 1919 to be applicable only in Alsace-Lorraine. This specific local legislation encompasses different areas including religion, social work and finance.

The most striking of the legal differences between France and Alsace-Lorraine is the absence in Alsace-Lorraine of strict [[secularism]], even though a constitutional right of [[freedom of religion]] is guaranteed by the French government. Alsace-Lorraine is still governed by a pre-[[1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State|1905 law]] established by the [[Concordat of 1801]], which provides for the public subsidy of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], [[Lutheran Church|Lutheran]] and [[Calvinist Church|Calvinist]] churches and the [[Judaism|Jewish]] religion.

=== Administration ===
[[File:Place darmes (3658773965).jpg|thumb|The [[Hôtel de Ville, Metz|Hôtel de Ville]] on the Place d'Armes]]
Like every commune of the present [[French Fifth Republic|French Republic]], Metz is managed by a mayor ({{Langx|fr|maire}}) and a municipal council ({{Langx|fr|conseil municipal}}), democratically elected by [[two-round system|two-round]] [[proportional voting]] for six years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070633&idArticle=LEGIARTI000024040149&dateTexte=20120630 |title=Official French general code of territorial collectivities, French Republic |access-date=30 June 2012 |language=fr}}</ref> The mayor is assisted by 54 municipal councillors,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/cyber_mairie/organigramme/elus_photos.php |title=Official Metz municipality website, List of Metz municipal councilors. |access-date=24 July 2012 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512092500/http://metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/cyber_mairie/organigramme/elus_photos.php |archive-date=12 May 2012}}</ref> and the municipal council is held on the last Thursday of every month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/cyber_mairie/conseil/index.php |title=Official Metz municipality website, agenda and procès-verbal of the Municipal Council of Metz. |access-date=24 July 2012 |language=fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115034602/http://metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/cyber_mairie/conseil/index.php |archive-date=15 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Since March 2009, records of municipal council meetings are available as audio files in French.</ref> Since 2008,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mairie-metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/cyber_mairie/organigramme/lesmaires.php |title=List of mayors of Metz since 1790. |access-date=27 December 2012 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214195639/http://www.mairie-metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/cyber_mairie/organigramme/lesmaires.php |archive-date=14 February 2008}}</ref> the mayor of Metz has been [[Socialist Party (France)|socialist]] Dominique Gros.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/maire.php |title=Official Metz municipality website, Resume of Dominique Gros. |access-date=30 June 2012 |language=fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115033932/http://metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/maire.php |archive-date=15 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The city belongs to the Metz Metropole union of cities, which includes the 40 cities of the Metz [[urban agglomeration]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metzmetropole.fr/site/institution_territoire_carte.php |title=Official Metz Metropole website, list of cities webpage |access-date=1 July 2012 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715002100/http://www.metzmetropole.fr/site/institution_territoire_carte.php |archive-date=15 July 2012}}</ref> Metz is the [[prefecture]] of the [[Moselle]] based in the former [[Intendant]] Palace.<ref name="politic50" /> In addition, Metz is the seat of the parliament of the [[Grand Est]] [[Regions of France|region]], hosted in the former [[Saint Clement of Metz|Saint-Clement]] Abbey.

=== City administrative divisions ===
The city of Metz is divided into 14 administrative divisions:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/mairie_quartiers/index.php |title=Official website of Metz municipality. |format=PHP |access-date=29 June 2012 |language=fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512105419/http://metz.fr/metz2/municipalite/mairie_quartiers/index.php |archive-date=12 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!  style="width:40px; text-align:center;"| <small>Number</small>
!  style="width:100px; text-align:center;"| <small>District</small>
!  style="width:400px; text-align:center;"| <small>Sights</small>
!  style="width:300px; text-align:center;"| <small>Location</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>1</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Devant-les-Ponts'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''Desvalliere barracks''</small>
| rowspan="14" style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Districts of Metz, France.jpg]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>2</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Metz-Nord Patrotte'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''Harbour zone''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>3</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Les îles'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[Grand Est|Grand East regional parliament]], [[University of Lorraine]], [[Lycée Fabert|Fabert High School]], [[Cogeneration]] Plant''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>4</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Plantières-Queuleu'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[Fort de Queuleu|Queuleu Fort]], Museum of Resistance and Deportation of Metz''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>5</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Bellecroix'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''Bellecroix Fort''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>6</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Metz-Vallières'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''Robert Schuman private hospital''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>7</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Borny'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[University of Lorraine]], Contemporary Music Venue''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>8</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Grigy-Technopôle'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[Metz Science Park]], [[Arts et Métiers ParisTech]], [[University of Lorraine]], [[Georgia Tech Lorraine]], [[Supélec]]''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>9</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Grange aux Bois'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''Trade Fair Center''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>10</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Sablon'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[Centre Pompidou-Metz]], [[Arènes de Metz|Indoor Sports Arena]], [[Groupe Caisse d'Épargne|Caisse d'Épargne]] regional headquarters, Metz-Metropole Conference Centre Hall (project)''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>11</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Magny'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''Saint-Clement and Leusiotte woods''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>12</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Nouvelle Ville'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[Gare de Metz-Ville|Imperial Station-Palace]], [[INSEE]] and [[Groupe Banque Populaire|Banque Populaire]] regional headquarters, Central Post Office, Chamber of Commerce''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>13</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Metz Centre'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''City Hall, [[Prefecture]], [[Metz Cathedral|Cathedral of Saint Stephen]], [[Temple Neuf, Metz|Temple Neuf]], [[Arsenal de Metz|Arsenal Concert Hall]], [[Opéra-Théâtre de Metz Métropole|Opera House]]''</small>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>14</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| <small>'''Ancienne Ville'''</small>
| style="text-align:left;"| <small>''[[Germans' Gate]], [[Museums of Metz|Golden Courtyard Museum]], [[Regional Contemporary Art Fund of Lorraine]], Jazz Concert Venue''</small>
|}
{{clear}}