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This article is part of the series on
Administrative divisions of France |
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(incl. overseas regions) |
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(incl. overseas departments) |
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Arrondissements
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Urban communities |
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Others in Overseas France
Overseas collectivities |
The 100 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. When an arrondissement contains the prefecture (capital) of the department, that prefecture is the capital of the arrondissement, acting both as a prefecture and as a subprefecture. Arrondissements are further divided into cantons and communes. The cities of Paris, Lyon and Marseille are also divided into municipal arrondissements, not to be confused with the arrondissements dealt with in this article.
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Role and administration
The administration of an arrondissement is assigned to a subprefect (French: sous-préfet) who assists the departmental prefect (préfet). Unlike French regions, departments and communes, arrondissements do not have the status of legal entity in public law. In addition, unlike those other administrative divisions, they are not run by elected officials, but by officials appointed by the French president.
History
The idea of arrondissements was proposed several times as an administrative reform during the Ancien Régime, notably by the intendant of the Bretagne généralité Caze de La Bove in his Mémoire concernant les subdélégués de l'intendance de Bretagne in 1775. The arrondissements were created by the Loi du 28 pluviôse in the year VIII of the Republican Calendar (February 17, 1800) and replaced "districts". In certain periods in French history, they have served a role in legislative elections, especially during the Third Republic. The law of September 10 1926, which eliminated 106 arrondissements for fiscal reasons, was considered electoral manipulation by many.
Statistics
Most departments only have three or four arrondissements. The departments of Paris and of the Territory of Belfort have only one, while the Moselle department has nine.
