samospráv

Samospráv (local self-government) is a form of territorial self-government in which communities such as municipalities and regions govern themselves in certain matters within the framework of national law. It encompasses the institutions, rules, and procedures by which residents elect representatives to manage local affairs, set budgets, and oversee public services.

Core elements typically include elected bodies and executive leaders. A municipal council and an executive head (for example, a mayor or starosta) decide on local zoning, land use, housing, roads and public transport, waste management, local education, culture, and social services, as well as local economic development. An administrative office or office of the municipality implements the council’s decisions. In many jurisdictions, participatory tools such as referenda or participatory budgeting supplement representative governance.

Samospráv is grounded in constitutional and statutory frameworks that grant a degree of autonomy while maintaining the overall sovereignty of the state. Powers and financing are distributed between levels of government, with local authorities typically responsible for defining local policy and delivering services, and higher levels providing standards, oversight, and funding. The extent of financial autonomy varies: some systems grant municipalities broad taxation powers, others rely more on intergovernmental transfers or subsidies.

Historically, local self-government evolved from town charters and guild privileges and developed through modernization and democratization. In the modern era it is frequently enshrined in constitutions or basic laws and reinforced by decentralization reforms that broaden the scope and efficiency of local administration.

See also: local government, decentralization, municipal government, regional government.