Local and Regional Governments in Europe

municipality, is in charge of the daily
local administration and implements
local council decisions.
Intermediate level 295 counties (Kreise)
The county assembly (Kreistag) is
composed of members elected by
direct universal suffrage for a mandate
that can vary from four to six years,
depending on the region. It is the
county’s legislative body.
The county president (Landrat) is
elected either by the county assembly
or by direct universal suffrage,
depending on the region. He/she is a
civil servant elected for a period that
varies from five to eight years and
chairs the county assembly.
The county office (Landratsamt) is
the county’s executive body and is
composed of civil servants recruited
by the county or by the region.
Competences*
• Construction and maintenance
of intermediary roads
• Social services and youth
• Collection and disposal
of household waste
• Health care
• Food safety
• Protection of nature
and environment
• Foreign affairs
• Disaster management
• Public transport
Regional level 16 regions (Länder)
The parliament (Landtag) is the
region’s legislative body. It consists of
members elected by direct universal
suffrage for a four-year mandate. It
elects the minister-president of the
region.
The government (Landesregierung) is
the executive body of the region. It is
elected by the parliament for a fouryear
mandate. It elects the ministerpresident.
The minister-president (Ministerpräsident)
chairs the government.
He/she has the exclusive power to
designate and dismiss the ministers
of the region.
This differs for the three city-states
Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg,
where the house of representatives
(Abgeordnetenhaus) or citizens’
assembly (Bürgerschaft) is the
legislative, the senate of the city
(Senat) is the executive and the mayor
(Bürgermeister) is the governing chair.
Regional competences are shared
with the central government in the
fields of justice, social policy, civil law,
criminal law and labour law.
Competences
• Legislation
• Public administration
• Police
• Homeland security
• Taxation
• Justice
• Culture
• University education
• Education
• Environment
• Legal supervision
of local self-government
* See p.89
CEMR in Germany - German Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (www.rgre.de),
Association of German Cities (www.staedtetag.de), German Association of Towns and Municipalities (www.dstgb.de)
and German County Association (www.landkreistag.de)
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