STATES, PROVINCES, GOVERNORATES:

REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS IN A FEDERATION

Forum Federations

An Intensive Course on Democratic Federalism

OVERVIEW

• Types of regional governments in a federation

• How many regional governments?

• Defining their territory and character

• Differences in the size of regional governments

• Combining provinces, altering provincial borders

• Provincial constitutions, flags and symbols

• Concluding observations

TYPES OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS IN A FEDERATION

• Usually one type of sub national unit – states, provinces, autonomous regions, governorates, emirates, etc.

• Often there are unorganized territories as well, under the control of the federal government

• In some federations, there are different types of sub national units, having somewhat different statuses and roles

• National capital regions often have special status

• There can also be some differentiation in roles and responsibilities among the provinces or states of a federation – asymmetry

• Usually a concern to limit the degree of asymmetry

• Municipalities: a third order of government?

HOW MANY REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS?

• Number varies greatly

• Two-unit federations tend to be unstable

• Small number of units makes face-to-face intergovernmental contact easier

• Larger number makes collective action by the provinces more difficult

• Number of states or provinces relates to:– The size of the country and its population– Its history and geography– The nature of the ‘federal diversity’ to be expressed– The preferences of the citizens– The functions the regional governments will be performing

DEFINING THEIR TERRITORY AND CHARACTER

• Provinces can be established on the basis of:– History and tradition– Geography– Administrative convenience– Ethnic, cultural, religious divisions (ethnocultural factors)– A mix of the above

• Major issue: Should provinces express cleavages or cut across cleavages?

– Some argue that ethnoculturally-based provinces (expressing cleavages) create instability by deepening the divisions in a society

– Others contend that ethnoculturally-based provinces increase stability by offering ethnic security and reducing the agitation for change

– • Both approaches – expressing and cutting across cleavages - have

been widely used and have been positive in some cases and negative in others

• Respect for ethnocultural minorities in all provinces a crucial stabilizing factor

DIFFERENCES IN THE SIZE OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS

• Provinces in a federation can vary enormously in population size, territory and economic capacity

• Most federations appear able to accommodate these differences

• Sometimes there are special provisions or supports for the smallest provinces

• Having one province with a majority of the population in the country can create instability. Having one or two provinces with very large populations can concentrate political power there and create stress

COMBINING PROVINCES,

ALTERING PROVINCIAL BORDERS • Often highly controversial

• In most federations, cannot be done without provincial consent

• Sometimes requires popular consultation

• In a few federations, the federal government has the power to alter existing provinces and create new ones

• Provisions in the 2005 Iraqi Constitution

PROVINCIAL CONSTITUTIONS, SYMBOLS, FLAGS

• In some federations, provinces obtain constitutional expression simply through the country’s federal constitution – no separate constitutional document

• In others, the states or provinces have their own constitutions, addressing matters of specific local concern

• Provincial constitutions must be consistent with, and operate within the scope of the federal constitution

• Many provinces in federations supplement national symbols with their own regional flags and other symbols of regional identity, declare their own official holidays, and the like.

• Primary and secondary education, too, is often tailored to the distinctive needs and perspectives of the regional communities