Préfecture
Encyclopedia
A prefecture in France
can refer to :
, and is therefore in charge of the delivery of identity cards, driving licenses, passports, residency and work permits for foreigners, vehicle registration, registration of associations
(creation, status modification, dissolution), and of the management of the police
and firefighters.
The prefect represents the national government at the local level and as such exercises the powers that are constitutionally attributed to the national government.
The prefect issues ordinances written for the application of local law, e.g. to close a building that does not conform to safety codes, or modify vehicular traffic regulations (speed limit, construction permits).
The governing body of the department is the general council , which is in charge of the building and maintenance of schools and roads, financial assistance to dependent people (disabled and elderly), and promotion of local economic development, etc. In the past, the prefect was head of the department, however, since 1982, the president of the general council has assumed the role of chief executive of the department.
(Île-de-France) and its three surrounding departments. These departments are administered by a single prefecture for law enforcement and security purposes, called the Prefecture of Police
; a situation inherited from the Paris Commune
of 1871. The power of law enforcement is usually invested in the mayor
in other French communes
.
, themselves divided into cantons
. The chef-lieu d'arrondissement is the subprefecture . The official in charge is the subprefect (. Cantons have relatively few competences, the most important of which being the local organisation of elections (cantons are electoral subdivisions).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
can refer to :
- the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a department is located;
- the Chef-lieu de région, the town in which the administration of a regionRégions of FranceFrance is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
is located; - the jurisdiction of a prefecture;
- the official residence or headquarters of a prefect.
Role of the prefecture in departments
There are 101 prefectures in France, one for each department. The official in charge is the prefect . The prefecture is an administration that belongs to the Ministry of the InteriorMinister of the Interior (France)
The Minister of the Interior in France is one of the most important governmental cabinet positions, responsible for the following:* The general interior security of the country, with respect to criminal acts or natural catastrophes...
, and is therefore in charge of the delivery of identity cards, driving licenses, passports, residency and work permits for foreigners, vehicle registration, registration of associations
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
(creation, status modification, dissolution), and of the management of the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and firefighters.
The prefect represents the national government at the local level and as such exercises the powers that are constitutionally attributed to the national government.
The prefect issues ordinances written for the application of local law, e.g. to close a building that does not conform to safety codes, or modify vehicular traffic regulations (speed limit, construction permits).
The governing body of the department is the general council , which is in charge of the building and maintenance of schools and roads, financial assistance to dependent people (disabled and elderly), and promotion of local economic development, etc. In the past, the prefect was head of the department, however, since 1982, the president of the general council has assumed the role of chief executive of the department.
Paris
There is an exception in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(Île-de-France) and its three surrounding departments. These departments are administered by a single prefecture for law enforcement and security purposes, called the Prefecture of Police
Prefecture of Police
The Prefecture of Police , headed by the Prefect of Police , is an agency of the Government of France which provides the police force for the city of Paris and the surrounding three suburban départements of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne...
; a situation inherited from the Paris Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
of 1871. The power of law enforcement is usually invested in the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in other French communes
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
.
Divisions of the departments
The departments are divided into arrondissementsArrondissements of France
The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts.The capital of an arrondissement/district is called a subprefecture...
, themselves divided into cantons
Cantons of France
The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 342 arrondissements and 101 departments.Apart from their role as organizational units in certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice, the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as...
. The chef-lieu d'arrondissement is the subprefecture . The official in charge is the subprefect (. Cantons have relatively few competences, the most important of which being the local organisation of elections (cantons are electoral subdivisions).
See also
- Administrative divisions of FranceAdministrative divisions of FranceThe administrative divisions of France are concerned with the institutional and territorial organization of French territory. There are many administrative divisions, which may have political , electoral , or administrative objectives.- Metropolitan France :As of January 1, 2008, metropolitan...
- French National PoliceFrench National PoliceThe National Police , formerly the Sûreté Nationale, is one of two national police forces and the main civil law enforcement agency of France, with primary jurisdiction in cities and large towns. The other main agency is the military Gendarmerie, with primary jurisdiction in smaller towns and rural...