collectivités
Collectivités, in French public administration, designates territorial units that have their own elected assemblies and, within the framework of law, a measure of autonomy from the central state. They are collectively referred to as the collectivités territoriales and are the main level of local governance in France. Each collectivity exercises specific powers and manages public policies in areas such as urban planning, transport, housing, social services and local economic development, while the state retains authority in areas like national defense, justice and foreign policy. The central government is represented locally by prefects or sub-prefects.
In metropolitan France, the principal types of collectivités territoriales are communes, departments and regions, each with
Overseas, there exist collectives with varied statuses, including overseas departments (DOM), overseas collectivities (COM) and sui
The framework is grounded in the French Constitution (notably Article 72) and shaped by decentralization laws