Local and Regional Governments in Europe
CEMR_structures_and_competences_2016_EN
CEMR_structures_and_competences_2016_EN
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Israel<br />
Israel is a unitary state<br />
composed of regional councils (moatsa ezorit) local<br />
councils (moatsa mekomit) <strong>and</strong> municipalities (iria)*.<br />
State structure<br />
unitary<br />
Number of<br />
Sub-national governments<br />
2016<br />
LOCAL 260<br />
REGIONAL 6<br />
Capital city<br />
Jerusalem<br />
Population<br />
7,822,000<br />
Geographical size<br />
22,072 km²<br />
Currency<br />
New Sheqel (NIS)<br />
Vote<br />
non-compulsory<br />
<strong>Local</strong> level 57 regional councils (moatsa ezorit), 126 local councils<br />
(moatsa mekomit), 75 municipalities (iria) <strong>and</strong> 2 <strong>in</strong>dustrial councils<br />
The law dist<strong>in</strong>guishes between three<br />
types of local authorities: regional<br />
councils, which represent the rural<br />
areas of Israel, local councils with<br />
20,000 <strong>in</strong>habitants or less <strong>and</strong><br />
municipalities <strong>in</strong> urban centres with<br />
20,000 <strong>in</strong>habitants or more.<br />
The city council (moetset hair) <strong>and</strong><br />
local council (moatsa mekomit) are<br />
the local authority’s deliberative<br />
body. Their members are elected<br />
by direct universal suffrage for a<br />
five-year term. As the elections are<br />
proportional, the different parties<br />
form a coalition to manage the<br />
council. The number of councillors,<br />
as determ<strong>in</strong>ed by the m<strong>in</strong>istry of the<br />
<strong>in</strong>terior, varies depend<strong>in</strong>g on the size<br />
of the population.<br />
The city council (moetset hair) is the<br />
deliberative <strong>and</strong> executive body. As<br />
a m<strong>and</strong>atory responsibility, the city<br />
council has to approve the city’s yearly<br />
budget <strong>and</strong> the motions presented<br />
by the city councillors or <strong>in</strong>habitants<br />
regard<strong>in</strong>g the use of the f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
plan. It also makes crucial decisions<br />
concern<strong>in</strong>g the city’s management<br />
<strong>and</strong> legislates local municipal laws.<br />
The mayor (rosh hair) is elected by<br />
direct universal suffrage for a fiveyear<br />
m<strong>and</strong>ate. He/she represents the<br />
local authority vis-à-vis the M<strong>in</strong>istry of<br />
the Interior <strong>and</strong> other governmental<br />
bodies. The mayor is <strong>in</strong> charge of the<br />
local adm<strong>in</strong>istration <strong>and</strong> of execut<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the city’s annual work<strong>in</strong>g plan. He/she<br />
is assisted by a number of deputies<br />
of his choos<strong>in</strong>g, nom<strong>in</strong>ated accord<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to the constitution of the coalition<br />
lead<strong>in</strong>g the local public authority.<br />
Competences<br />
• <strong>Local</strong> development<br />
• Health<br />
• Manag<strong>in</strong>g local services (water,<br />
sewage, garbage disposal, road<br />
pav<strong>in</strong>g)<br />
• Public gardens <strong>and</strong> parks<br />
• Sanitation<br />
• Household refuse<br />
• Education<br />
• Social services<br />
• Levy local taxes<br />
• Establishment of facilities for<br />
sports, education, culture <strong>and</strong><br />
health<br />
• Manage f<strong>in</strong>ances<br />
• Culture<br />
• Sports<br />
• Safety <strong>and</strong> emergency services<br />
• Public transport<br />
• Ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of roads, public areas<br />
<strong>and</strong> cemeteries<br />
• Environment<br />
* See p.89<br />
42
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