Local self-government in Greece

Statistical snapshot

According to the 2011 census, Greece had a total population of approximately 11 million. The largest cities are, in descending order, Athens (approx. 3 million), Thessaloniki (city: approx. 820,000), Patras (approx. 214,500), Heraklion (approx. 173,500), Larisa (approx. 163,000) and Volos (approx. 144,000).

Greece is divided into 13 regions (peripheries) plus the autonomous monastic republic of Mount Athos. The most populous regions are Attica (approx. 3.81 million) and Central Macedonia (approx. 1.87 million), which also have the highest population densities. The regions are subdivided into regional units (periferiakes enotites), which in turn are divided into municipalities and communities (kinotites).

Levels of local self‑government

The basic principles of local self‑government are set out in the Greek Constitution. In essence:

Local authorities (OTA) are territorially, administratively and financially autonomous in managing their own affairs In cases of conflict over competencies with the central administration, local self-government takes precedence. The central government may transfer public powers to OTAs, in accordance with Article 102 of the Constitution.
State supervision of OTAs is limited solely to a review of the legality of their decisions and actions. The State is obliged to take all necessary measures to ensure the financial independence of OTAs.
The definition of “local affairs” subject to territorial self-government, as well as the allocation of competences between municipalities and regions, is determined by law. As a general rule, municipalities are responsible for strictly local matters, while regions handle issues of broader, regional significance. There is no hierarchical relationship between the two levels of local government; instead, they cooperate through legal provisions, agreements, and joint actions. Oversight is exercised by organs of the central administration.

The “Kallikratis” territorial reform (Law 3852/2010)

Following the territorial reform introduced by Law 3852/2010, known as “Kallikratis”, Greece has, since 2011 been divided into thirteen regions (excluding Mount Athos). These regions are further divided into regional units, largely corresponding to the former prefectures (nomoi). Under Kallikratis, the number of municipalities (first level of local self‑government) was reduced through the merging of former municipalities to 325, and the 76 former second‑level administrative prefectures were replaced by the thirteen regions. The boundaries of the consolidated municipalities, prefectures and regions were preserved.

The reform decentralized extensive powers, transferring them to municipalities and regions, and allocated greater financial resources to local self-government

Municipalities – first level (protos vathmos topikis aftodiikisis)

Under Article 102 of the Constitution, municipalities are entrusted with regulating local community affairs within the framework of the law and under their own responsibility. The legal framework governing the organization and functioning of municipalities is set out in the Municipal and Community Code (Dimotikos kai Kinotikos Kodikas), codified by Law 3463/2006 and extensively amended by Law 3852/2010.

The Code sets out, among other things, the extensive competences and responsibilities of municipalities. Beyond their own tasks, municipalities may exercise public powers transferred from central administration.

Following Kallikratis, out of the former 1.034 municipalities, there are now 325). The term “municipalities” also encompasses cities. Most municipalities are single‑tier bodies formed by the merging of previous municipalities. They correspond to EU LAU level 1 and constitute the first tier of the two‑level local self‑government system. The minimum population requirement for a municipality is 10,000 inhabitants.

Municipal territories are subdivided into municipal units (dimotikes enotites), which typically former municipalities that lost their independence under the Kapodistrias and Kallikratis reforms and became parts of larger municipalities. The earlier term “kinotita” was used to refer to smaller communities.

Municipal organs include the mayor, the municipal council, and committees (finance; quality of life). Mayors are elected every five years. Municipal units have advisory community councils that do not possess decision‑making power. The number of deputy mayors depends on the population of the municipality.

Post‑reform, municipalities are responsible, inter alia, for issuing building permits and operating licenses, welfare services, constructing school buildings, and promoting agriculture.

Municipalities may not levy their own taxes under the Constitution. Instead, they receive 12% of the VAT revenue, 50% of the real estate tax on large properties, and 20% of personal and corporate income tax revenues.

Presidential Decree 75/2011 establishes the framework for regional associations of municipalities (PED) and the Central Union of Greek Municipalities (KEDE). Each region has a municipal association. Membership of municipalities in PED as well as of PED in KEDE is mandatory.

Regions – second level (defteros vathmos topikis aftodiikisis)

The second level consists of thirteen regions, subdivided into regional units corresponding territorially to the former prefectures. Regional organs include the regional governor (Periferiarchis), deputies, the regional council, the finance committee and the executive body. Each regional unit has a deputy governor. Regions have their own services and budgets. Regional governors are elected every five years by residents of the region’s municipalities.

The organization of each region is established by specific Presidential Decrees (e.g., PD 133/2010 for Central Macedonia, PD 131/2010 for Peloponnese, PD 147/2010 for Ionian Islands, PD 144/2010 for Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, PD 145/2010 for Attica, PD 132/2010 for Western Greece). These acts regulate the internal organization and the allocation of competences, including the establishment of sectoral committees (economy, environment and infrastructure, regional agriculture, health and welfare). Regions are now equipped with broad powers for regional development and major projects. Their internal organization typically includes a legal department, audit, civil protection and public relations. Finance and executive competences are set out in separate instruments.

Regions receive 4% of VAT revenue and 2.4% of personal and corporate income tax revenues.

By virtues of the decision issued on 6 April 2011 by the Interior Ministry under Articles 167 and 282 of Law 3852/2010 (Kallikratis), the competences of the regional councils were defined. PD 74/2011 established the association of regions (EN.PE) based in Athens.

Several regions are grouped into “decentralized administrations” (apokentromeni dioikisi). As these are organs of central state administration, rather than local self‑government, they will not be further discussed here.

Definition of Terms:

Dimos (plural dimoi)	Municipality (also cities in the sense of local self-government)
Dimotikes enotites	Municipal Sections
Dimotikos kai kinotikos kodikas	Comparable to the Municipal Code (central)
EN.PE. enosi periferion	Union of Regions
KEDE Kentriki enosi Dimon Elladas	Central Union of Greek Municipalities
Kinotita	Community/Village
Nomos	Prefecture
Organismoi topikis autodiikisis	Organizations of Local Self-Government
PED (periferiaki enosi dimon)	Regional Union of Municipalities
Peripheriakes enotites	Regional Units
Peripherie	Region
Peripheriarch	Regional Governor, Head of the Region
Protou kai defterou vathmou	First and Second Degree (levels of local government)
PV – proedriko diatagma	Presidential Decree
Topiki autodiikisi	Local Self-Government