Introduction

Greece is a parliamentary republic under the 1975 Constitution. The Parliament (Vouli ton Ellinon) is unicameral and consists of 300 members. The Head of State is the President of the Republic and the Government is led by a Prime Minister.

The Hellenic Republic is a unitary State organised on a decentralised basis; it comprises two levels of governance, the central – State governance and the local self-government. The former is exercised centrally (government-ministries) as well as at a decentralised level (Decentralised Administration- apokentromeni dioikisi), while the latter is exercised at regional (Regions - Perifereies) and municipal level (Municipalities - Dimoi)

While Greece used to be much more centralised but over the last decades it has been undergoing reforms. The decentralisation process started in 1986 with the creation of 13 Regions. Decentralisation was strengthened in 1994 with elected prefectural bodies and the extension of the municipalities' competences. In 1997, through merging, the “Kapodistrias Programme" changed the administrative boundaries of first-level self-government authorities (dimoi&koinotites) reducing them to 1034 without even changing their previous institutional status. The Code for Municipalities and Communities in 2006 constituted the main legislative text for their function. The 2010 Kallikratis Programme[1] reorganised the territorial division by uniting existing municipalities, modified the vertical division of competences in favour of municipalities and abolished decentralised public administrations. The Hellenic Republic has also adopted the Law 4071/2012 “Provisions for local development, local government and decentralised administration – Transposition of Directive 2009/50/EC"[2], which focuses mainly on special issues of local authorities. In 2018, the government brought a new package of administrative reforms that were labelled as the “Cleisthenes" plan. These reforms, mainly, aimed to change the laws that governed the election and governance of regions and municipalities. On the other hand, they did not change much the division of power between the central and the local level.

Since 1 January 2011, when the Kallikratis Programme officially entered into force, the Hellenic Republic has comprised seven Decentralised Administrations (apokentromeni dioikisi), thirteen Regions (perifereies) and 325 Municipalities (dimoi). The Decentralised Administrations constitute single units of State (decentralised State) and their heads are appointed by the central Government. They exercise general decisive responsibility on State matters in accordance with Article 101 of the Constitution. The Municipalities and Regions constitute the first and second-level of local self-government

The former Prefectures (nomarhies) largely still exist but are now called Regional Units (Perifereiakes Enotites) and form administrative and territorial constituent parts of the Regions.

The Community of Mount Athos Monasteries is an autonomous territory with special status (Ieri Kinotita) under the Constitution and special arrangements as to the application of EU law to this territory exist.

The principles of decentralisation and local self-government are enshrined in the Constitution[3]. The local and regional self-government authorities are the expression of popular sovereignty and constitute a fundamental institution in the public life of the Greeks, as guaranteed by the provisions of Article 102 of the Constitution and the European Charter of Local Self-Government ratified by Law 1850/1989 (GG 144 A), taking into account the reservations expressed on Articles 5, 7 (§2), 8 (§2) and 10 (§10).

Regions are responsible for the administration of affairs of their district. They shape, plan and implement policies at regional level as part of their responsibilities under the principles of sustainable development and social cohesion of the country, taking into account of national and European policies.

Municipalities are responsible for the administration of local affairs. They manage and regulate all local matters in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and proximity with the aim of protection, development and continuous improvement of the interests and the quality of life of local society.

Between the two levels of local self-government there are no relations of control and hierarchy, but of cooperation and cooperation, which are developed according to the law, common agreements, as well as with the coordination of joint actions.

The Kallikratis Programme[4] further describes the territorial organisation and the division of powers between the different levels of governance.

Central level

State responsibilities

• General powers in matters coming under national sovereignty, particularly in the areas of national defence, foreign affairs, finance and justice;
• General national policy;
• Coordination and direction of the Government's activities;
• Coordination and direction of the civil service; and
• Implementation of national policies.

Regional level

Regions exercise their responsibilities/ competences within the framework of the relevant laws and administrative regulations, in the fields of:

• Planning/Programming and regional development including investment;
• Agriculture/livestock and fisheries;
• Natural resources, energy and industry; (water management, mineral wealth, energy, industry and manufacturing);
• Employment, trade and tourism;
• Transport and communications;
• Public works, urbanism, spatial planning, environment;
• Health;
• Education, culture and sport;

• Civil protection – logistics.

In order to address supra-local problems in a uniform way, the metropolitan region of Attiki and the metropolitan unit of Thessaloniki (Region of Central Macedonia), in addition to their regional responsibilities, may exercise metropolitan responsibilities in the following areas:

• Environment and quality of life;
• Spatial planning and urban regeneration;
• Transport and communications;
• Civil protection and security beyond the municipal administrative boundaries.

Regions exercise their powers taking into account:

• The relevant national, regional and European policies;
• The need for cooperation and coordination with other regional authorities and organisations;
• The available resources to meet their responsibilities, and the need to ensure their beneficial, efficient use and equitable  distribution; 
• The need to organise services to ensure their adequacy, quality and effectiveness;
• The need for sustainable development and protection of the cultural heritage.

Local level

Municipalities exercise their powers/responsibilities according to the relevant legislation, regulations and management regulations adopted by them (local regulatory decisions) in the fields of:

• Development,
• Building permits and urban planning applications;
• Environment;
• Quality of Life & Cities' proper Functioning
• Employment;
• Social protection and solidarity;
• Education, culture and sport;
• Agricultural Development, livestock and fisheries;
• Civil protection
• Issuing professional licenses;
• Transport infrastructure;
• Local development initiatives; and
• Tourism.

With a view to providing better services, municipalities may also exercise State responsibilities at local level which have been assigned to them by law.

It should be underlined that insular as well as mountain municipalities undertake additional responsibilities otherwise exercised by the regions to better serve the local population in accordance with the subsidiarity principle.

Municipal authorities exercise their powers taking into account[5]:

• Related national, regional and European policies;
• The need for coordination with other local or public authorities which have the power to act and own resources in their region;
• The availability of resources and their beneficial, efficient use and equitable distribution;
• The need to organise adequate, qualified and efficient services in order to better serve residents; and
• The need for high quality environmental protection, protection of cultural heritage and the promotion of sustainable development of these areas.

[1] Law 3852/2010 on the Reorganisation of Local Government.

[2] Official Journal Government Gazette A 85/11.04.2012.

[3] Constitution of Greece as revised by the parliamentary resolution of 27.05.2008 of the VIIIth Revisionay Parliament, Section VI, Chapter I.

[4] Law 3852/2010 on the Reorganisation of Local Government.

[5] Art. 76 of the Code of Municipalities