Professional paper
COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF SYSTEMS OF LOCAL SELFGOVERNMENT IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN STATES
Teodor Antić
; Ministry of Justice of Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In every state, local self-government is part of its political system that, among other things, includes various aspects of the position, structure, and operation of all bodies with public authority. The starting-point in investigating systems of local self-government should be the structure of the entire state system; this should be followed by an analysis of the structure of its component local self-governing units. The first part of the research deals with the system’s macro-organization, while the second looks into its micro-organization. First, it is necessary to identify what the system comprises, i.e. which types of local self-government units exist and what are their characteristics regarding their size, strength and the capabilities for viable functioning; after that, their structures can be investigated individually. In investigating macro-organization it is important to pay attention to whether the system of local self-government is single-level or multi-level, monotype or polytype and what the size of individual units is. The study of micro-organization provides a picture of the condition and the composition of certain bodies of a unit, their functioning and relations, their scope, financial situation, the degree of independence, forms of control, etc. The article offers a basic outline of the macro-organization (structure and territorial basis) and the micro-organization (of the internal structure and range) as well as of the systems of state control of local self-government in seven European states. These brief outlines of individual systems are followed by a parallel outline of all the systems.
Keywords
local units; territorial organization; local self-government; Europe; comparative review
Hrčak ID:
23603
URI
Publication date:
31.3.2003.
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