The comarcal council (
Catalan: ''consell comarcal'',
Galician: ''consello comarcal'',
Aragonese: ''concello comarcal'',
Spanish: ''consejo comarcal''), also somewhat misleadingly referred to as ''
county council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.
Australia
In the Australian state of New South Wales, county councils are special purpose ...
'', is a local administration and government body in the
comarca
A ''comarca'' (, , , ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain, and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, mark ...
s of some parts of
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, mostly in the
autonomous communities
The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Spa ...
of
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
,
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...
and
the Basque Country.
The comarcal council is normally constituted by representatives of the
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
within the comarcal demarcation, who are elected according to law-regulated mechanisms.
In Aragon
Membership of the councils
Council membership of a comarca is allocated according to its population using the following table:
In the Basque Country
Only in the province of
Álava
Álava () or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a Provinces of Spain, province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, heir of the ancient Basque señoríos#Lords of Álava, Lordship ...
comarcas have administrative status, known as ''kuadrilla'' in
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
and ''cuadrilla'' in
Spanish. There are
Añana,
Ayala/Aiara,
Gorbeialdea,
Plain of Alava,
Riojan Alava,
Alava Mountains and
Vitoria. Their comarcal councils bear the name ''kuadrillako batzarra'' in
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
or ''junta de cuadrilla'' in
Spanish (county assembly in English).
Out of all 7 Alavan ''cuadrillas'', only the
Vitoria cuadrilla does not have any cuadrilla institutions, thus only keeping the name symbolically for the natural comarca, since all governance is assumed by the city council of the municipality of
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz (; ; also historically spelled Vittoria in English) is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country and of the provinces of Spain, province of Álava in northern Spain. I ...
, the only municipality that makes up that cuadrilla.
In Catalonia
In Catalonia, the councilors of each of the comarcal councils are elected indirectly every four years from the results of the
municipal elections of each of the municipalities that make up the comarca. They are elected under a mixed system of
party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation (list-PR) is a system of proportional representation based on preregistered Political party, political parties, with each party being Apportionment (politics), allocated a certain number of seats Apportionm ...
using the
D'Hondt method
The D'Hondt method, also called the Jefferson method or the greatest divisors method, is an apportionment method for allocating seats in parliaments among federal states, or in proportional representation among political parties. It belongs to ...
where both the number of votes obtained for each candidacy and the number of city councilors are taken into account.
Formally created in 1987, there are currently 41 comarcal councils in
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
. They configure the lowest system of government after the city council itself, with its organization configured with a collegial body, the plenary session, and a unipersonal body, the President. The plenary session is made up of councilors of each of the city councils of the municipalities that make up the comarca.
The plenary session chooses the President. They also count with a manager fully integrated in the administration, akin to a
city manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
, who has full dedication to the execution of the tasks of the regional government and administration.
The
Barcelonès
Barcelonès () is the most populated comarca of Catalonia, Spain. It contains Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well a ...
comarcal council was formally abolished in 2019, rendering it the only comarca without one. Currently and due to its recent inception, it is only scheduled for the
Lluçanès comarca to constitute its first comarcal council after the
2027 local elections.
Membership of the councils
Council membership of a comarca is allocated according to its population using the following table:
Comarcal Council of Alt Penedès
Comarcal Council of
Alt Urgell
Alt Urgell () is a ''comarca'' (county) in the Alt Pirineu region, in Catalonia, Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de ...
Comarcal Council of Alta Ribagorça
Comarcal Council of Anoia
Comarcal Council of
Bages
Bages () is a comarca (county) in the central region of Catalonia, Spain. The capital is the city of Manresa.
Industries include the mining of potash at Súria and Sallent, and the manufacture of textiles along the rivers Llobregat and Car ...
Comarcal Council of
Baix Camp
Baix Camp () is a Comarques of Catalonia, comarca located in the region of Camp de Tarragona, in Catalonia.The capital is the city of Reus.
Baix Camp is located on the coast, between Tarragonès to the northeast and Baix Ebre to the south. It als ...
Comarcal Council of
Baix Ebre
Baix Ebre (, "Lower Ebro") is a comarca (county) on the coast in southern Catalonia. It is located in the region of Terres de l'Ebre
Terres de l'Ebre (, in English 'Ebro, Ebre Lands') is the south-westernmost of the eight regions (Vegueria, ''v ...
Comarcal Council of Baix Empordà
Comarcal Council of Baix Llobregat
Comarcal Council of Baix Penedès
Comarcal Council of
Barcelonès
Barcelonès () is the most populated comarca of Catalonia, Spain. It contains Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well a ...
Comarcal Council of
Berguedà
Berguedà () is an inland Comarques of Catalonia, comarca in the Comarques Centrals, central region of Catalonia, Spain. It lies partly in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and partly in the Catalan Central Depression. The capital is the city of Berg ...
Comarcal Council of
Cerdanya
Cerdanya (; , ; , ) or often La Cerdanya is a natural region, natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it was one of the Catalan counties, counties of Catalonia.
Cerdanya has a ...
Comarcal Council of Conca de Barberà
Comarcal Council of Garraf
Comarcal Council of Garrigues
Comarcal Council of Garrotxa
Comarcal Council of Gironès
Comarcal Council of Lluçanès
TBD
Comarcal Council of Maresme
Comarcal Council of
Moianès
Moianès () is a Comarques of Catalonia, ''comarca'' in the Central Catalonia, central region of Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is the town of Moià.
It became a comarca in May 2015, following approval in a local referendum and by the Parliament o ...
Comarcal Council of
Montsià
Montsià () is a comarca (county) of the Terres de l'Ebre region, in Catalonia (Spain). It is the southernmost comarca and its capital and largest city is Amposta.
History
Almost all Montsià municipalities are part of the Taula del Sénia fre ...
Comarcal Council of Noguera
Comarcal Council of
Osona
Osona () is a comarques of Catalonia, comarca situated in the Central Catalonia, central region of Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Vic, Spain, Vic. Its population in 2001 was 129,543. Osona covers roughly the same area as the historic Catalan co ...
Comarcal Council of
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà () is a comarca (county) in Alt Pirineu, Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a ''comarca'' in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name is an archaism meaning "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains i ...
Comarcal Council of Pallars Sobirà
Comarcal Council of
Pla d'Urgell
Pla d'Urgell () is a comarca (county) in the Ponent region of Catalonia, Spain. The capital is the city of Mollerussa
Mollerussa () is the capital of the '' comarca'' of Pla d'Urgell, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia
Catalonia is a ...
Comarcal Council of Pla de l'Estany
Comarcal Council of Priorat
Comarcal Council of
Ribera d'Ebre
Ribera d'Ebre () is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. It extends to both sides of the Ebre river between the reservoir of Riba-roja and Miravet. It belongs to the Terres de l'Ebre
Terres de l'Ebre (, in English 'Ebro, Ebre Lands') is t ...
Comarcal Council of
Ripollès
Ripollès (; ) is a Comarques of Catalonia, comarca (county) in the Comarques Gironines, Girona region, Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Vall de Ribes, Ribes and Camprodon river valleys. In 2001, its population was 25,744, about 40% of whom ...
Comarcal Council of
Segarra
Segarra () is a Comarques of Catalonia, comarca (county) in Ponent, Autonomous Community of Catalonia, Catalonia (Spain), situated on a high plain. Historically, the name referred to a larger area than the current comarca. It has a continental cl ...
Comarcal Council of
Segrià
Segrià () is a comarca (county) in Catalonia (Spain). It is located in the western region of Ponent, bordering Aragon. , over two thirds of its population live in the capital city of Lleida, which is also Catalonia's sixth largest municipality ...
Comarcal Council of
Selva
Selva may refer to:
People
*Selva (surname)
*Selva (name)
*Selva (actor), Indian actor
*Selva (director), Indian director
Places
*Selva (comarca), a coastal comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain
*Selva, Mallorca (pop. 3,055), a municipality on Mal ...
Comarcal Council of
Solsonès
Solsonès (, ) is a comarca (county) in the central region of Catalonia (Spain). It is part of historic county of Urgell
The County of Urgell (, ; ) is one of the historical Catalan counties, bordering on the counties of County of Pallars, ...
Comarcal Council of Tarragonès
Comarcal Council of Terra Alta
Comarcal Council of
Urgell
Urgell (), also known as ''Baix Urgell'' (''baix'' meaning "lower", by contrast with Alt Urgell "Upper Urgell"), is a ''comarca'' (county) in Ponent, Catalonia (Spain), forming only a borderland portion of the region historically known as Urgel ...
Comarcal Council of
Vallès Occidental
Vallès Occidental () is a Comarques of Catalonia, comarca (county) in the Àmbit metropolità de Barcelona, Barcelona region in Catalonia (Spain). It has two capitals, Sabadell and Terrassa. Along with Vallès Oriental, it forms the historical Va ...
Comarcal Council of
Vallès Oriental
Vallès Oriental () is a comarca (county) in the Barcelona region in Catalonia (Spain). Its capital is Granollers. Along with Vallès Occidental it forms the historical Vallès region.
In May 2015, Vallès Oriental lost four municipalities - C ...
In Castile and León
References
Bibliography
*
*
See also
*
Local government in Spain
Local may refer to:
Geography and transportation
* Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand
* Local, Missouri, a community in the United States
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Local'' (comics), a limited series comic book by Bria ...
*
Comarcas of Spain
In Spain, a ''comarca'' ()
is either a traditional territorial division without any formal basis, or a group of municipalities of Spain, municipalities, legally defined by an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community for the purp ...
{{coord missing, Spain
Politics of Catalonia