Regions of France

The regions (French régions, singular région ) are authorities ( collectivités territorial ) in France.

There are a total of 27 regions, 22 of which are located in Europe and five are French Overseas Territories ( France d' outre- mer) - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion. The regions located in Europe, each consisting of several departments, the overseas regions contain only one Overseas Territory. Corsica is a territorial entity with a special status ( statut particulier à collectivité ).

The regions can be in their size with the German states compare, but are not member states with their own constitution. Their autonomy is financial, but not legislative Art

Design and function

Institutions

An official appointed by the central government regional prefect ( préfet de région ) coordinates the activities of the central government in the region. The function of the regional prefect is exercised in each case in a personal union of the prefect of the department in which is the capital of the region.

The Regional Council ( conseil régional ) is elected every six years straight. While in the elections of the regional councils in 1986, 1992 and 1998, a pure proportional representation system was used, a new electoral procedure was introduced to the elections of March 2004. Accordingly, continue to apply a system of proportional representation by list, but with two rounds of voting and a "majority bonus". If no list has won an absolute majority of votes in the first ballot, a second ballot shall be held. At this only lists can participate who have received more than ten percent of the votes in the first ballot. At the same time get all the lists that have received more than five percent of the votes in the first ballot, the ability to merge with another list. Three quarters of the seats in the Regional Council are proportionally distributed among all the lists that have received more than five percent of the votes in the last ballot. The winning list of more than 50 percent in the first ballot or the highest number of votes in the second ballot receives the last quarter of the seats of the Regional Council in addition.

The Regional Council shall elect a president ( président du conseil régional ) and several vice presidents for different areas of responsibility that govern the self-government of the region.

In the overseas regions each coexist a Regional Council and the General Council of the department who carry out the regions or departments of the powers vested.

As a local authority with special status Corsica does not have the bodies of a region, but an Assembly ( Assemblée de Corse), which is still chosen by pure proportional representation, and this member to be responsible executive council ( conseil exécutif ).

Official Statistics

The 26 regions and Corsica also serve as statistical regions at NUTS -2. Insist on the parent level NUTS 1 nine Zones d' études et d' aménagement du territoire.

History

Today's French regions were created on the coordination of national regional planning in 1956 as a program regions ( régions de program ). From 1960, they were designated Circonscriptions régional d'action. 1964 for the regions commissions for Regional Economic Development, Commissions de Développement Economique Régional created.

1970 Corsica, which until then had been part of the Provence- Alpes- Côte d' Azur -Corse region was a separate region separated from Provence -Alpes- Côte d' Azur.

In 1972, the regions were given the status of établissements publics under the direction of a regional prefect ( préfet de région ). The Commissions de Développement Economique Régional were renamed with effect from 1973, regional councils ( conseils régionaux ). The overseas departments received in 1972 also the status of regions.

In 1976, the area around the French capital Paris, the Région Parisienne was the name by then, assimilated under the name Île -de -France with the other regions.

Due to the decentralization laws of 1982, the regions were given the status of local authorities ( collectivités territorial ) as him until then only the municipalities and the department had possessed.

In 1986, the regional councils were directly elected for the first time. In the overseas regions, the first regional elections were held in 1983. Since then, the powers of the regions were compared with those of the central government gradually expanded.

Corsica in 1982, a region with special status and had from this year to a directly elected regional assembly. In 1991 there was a local authority with special status along the lines of French Polynesia.

2011 came Mayotte after a plebiscite in 2009 as a region (ROM / DOM) added.

Summary table of Regions of France

See also: Flags of France regions