166
The tiers
The Republic governs at four levels: commune, sub-region, region and centre.
Register › Official summary › Title VII
Communes, Sub-Regions And Regions
Articles 166 to 191 · 26 articles · 10 chapters · read the full text
Chapter 1 · Principles of Territorial Organisation
167
General competence and subsidiarity
Communes may act on anything not expressly given to a higher level, and doubt favours the commune.
168
Equality between territories
Every resident gets the same standard of provision wherever they live.
Chapter 2 · The Commune
169
Government of the commune
Communes are run by an assembly of residents, or by an elected council where that is impractical.
170
The communal council
Communal councils are elected proportionally for four years, and are recallable.
171
Competences of the commune
Communes run housing, water, waste, local roads, schools, clinics, libraries and local ecology.
172
Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhoods hold assemblies which can put anything on the council's agenda.
Chapter 3 · The Sub-Region
173
The sub-region and its council
Sub-regional councils are made of delegates from the communes, mandated and recallable.
174
Competences of the sub-region
Sub-regions run watersheds, school and clinic networks, local transport, water works and rescue.
Chapter 4 · The Region
175
The region and its council
Regional councils are made of delegates from the sub-regions.
176
Competences of the region
Regions run cross-boundary infrastructure, hospitals, universities, protected areas and regional balance.
Chapter 5 · The Republic
177
Competences of the Republic
The centre keeps the Constitution, rights, ecology, criminal law, courts, treaties and national systems.
178
Standards of general application
The centre sets the standards that must be identical everywhere, including vehicle dimensions and loads.
Chapter 6 · Resources
179
Principle of direct allocation
There is no tax, and territories receive resources straight from the plan.
180
The formula
The formula is public and computed openly, and named people must justify any departure from it.
181
Equalisation
Poorer or harder territories get extra as of right, without asking anyone's permission.
182
Local surplus and local initiative
A territory that saves resources keeps them, and can never be penalised for saving.
Chapter 7 · Economic Councils and Political Control
183
Relation of the economic councils to the elected councils
Economic councils answer to the elected council of their own level.
Chapter 8 · Spatial Planning, Land and Housing
184
Spatial planning
Communes adopt spatial plans after public inquiry, and habitat connectivity is a condition of validity.
185
Allocation and reallocation of housing
If a household shrinks, exchange is offered for three years before reallocation, with protections.
Chapter 9 · Cooperation, Boundaries and Communities
186
Cooperation and joint bodies
Territories may contract and form joint bodies, but never transfer a competence permanently.
187
Boundaries, merger and division
Boundaries change only with the agreement of the residents affected, by referendum.
188
Communities, languages and heritage
Communities may use their language with any authority, and govern their own heritage.
Chapter 10 · Conflict, Default and Protection
189
Conflicts of competence
The Constitutional Court settles disputes over which level is competent.
190
Default and the commissioner
A defaulting territory keeps its council, and a court appoints a commissioner for named tasks only.
191
Protection of self-government
No territory may be abolished, suspended, or stripped of its elected bodies.