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Powers of the communes
The communes have no legislative power or control over matters relating to the national interest, which reside solely with the Chamber of Deputies. However, below that, the communes have wide-ranging powers. They are required by law to provide public education, maintain the local road network, maintain basic public health, and provide some social security.[2] Communes also have discretionary powers (described as missions morales: moral duties) in the fields of supply of water, gas, and electricity; comprehensive health care (including maintenance of hospitals and clinics); land use planning; culture and sport; and provision of care to the elderly.[2]
Current communes
There are currently 116 communes, divided across the twelve cantons.
Former communes
There are twenty former communes in Luxembourg, having been merged over time to reach the complement that there exists today. The twenty defunct communes (with years of existence in parentheses) are:
| Arsdorf (1839–1979) | Eich (1839–1921) | Harlange (1839–1979) | Oberwampach (1839–1978) |
| Asselborn (1839–1978) | Folschette (1839–1979) | Hollerich (1839–1921) | Perlé (1839–1979) |
| Bastendorf (1839–2006) | Fouhren (1839–2006) | Kautenbach (1839–2006) | Rodenbourg (1839–1979) |
| Bigonville (1839–1979) | Hachiville (1839–1978) | Mecher (1839–1979) | Rollingergrund (1850–1921) |
| Boevange (1839–1978) | Hamm (1874–1921) | Oberpallen (1839–1846) | Wilwerwiltz (1839–2006)[3] |
Evolution of communes
The commune system was created during the French occupation to mirror the systems employed in the rest of the French Republic. These were overhauled in 1823, but the system itself was retained until independence, which was granted under the 1839 Treaty of London.[3] The law regulating their creation and organisation dates to 24 February 1843,[4] which was later enshrined in the Luxembourgian constitution, promulgated on 17 October 1868.[2]
Upon independence, there were 120 communes. A chain of demegers and partitions between 1849 and 1891 increased this number to 130. Most of these were brought about by asymmetrical population growth, as population growth in the south caused the balance of population in the country to shift; some of the communes born in that era include Rumelange, Schifflange, and Walferdange. In what is now termed 'Nordstad', Erpeldange and Schieren were separated from Ettelbruck.
However, from the end of the First World War, during which Luxembourg was occupied by Germany, the number of communes has dropped. In 1920, Luxembourg City was greatly expanded, annexing four surrounding communes. Another wave of mergers took place in the late 1970s, when sparsely-populated areas in the north and west of the country were merged to form Lac de la Haute-Sûre, Rambrouch, and Wincrange.[3] 2006 saw the creation of Kiischpelt and Tandel from four smaller communes, further reducing the number of communes to the present 116.[5]
Cities
Twelve of the communes of Luxembourg have the status of cities. They are:
- Diekirch
- Differdange
- Dudelange
- Echternach
- Esch-sur-Alzette
- Ettelbruck
- Grevenmacher
- Luxembourg
- Remich
- Rumelange
- Vianden
- Wiltz
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Statec (2003), p. 9
- ^ a b c d "Devolution in Luxembourg" (PDF). Committee of the Regions. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
- ^ a b c Statec (2003), p. 10
- ^ (French)/(German) "Mémorial A, 1843, No. 17" (PDF). Service central de législation. Retrieved on 2006-07-21.
- ^ (French) "Mémorial A, 2005, No. 191" (PDF). Service central de législation. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
References
- (French) Statec (2003). Recueil de statistiques par commune 2003 (PDF), Luxembourg City: Statec. ISBN 2-87988-053-X. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
- (French)/(German) "Archives of Mémorial A". Service central de législation. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
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