Apart from their role as organizational units in relation to certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice, the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as constituencies for the election of members of the representative assemblies established in each of France's territorial departments (departmental councils, formerly general councils). For this reason, such elections were known in France as "cantonal elections", until 2015 when their name was changed to "departmental elections" to match the departmental councils' name.
As of 2015, there were 2,054 cantons in France.[1]
Most of them group together a number of communes (the lowest administrative division of the French Republic), although larger communes may be included in more than one canton, since the cantons – in marked contrast to the communes, which have between more than two million inhabitants (Paris) and just one person (Rochefourchat) – are intended to be roughly equal in size of population.
The role of the canton is, essentially, to provide a framework for departmental elections. Each canton elects a woman and a man to represent it at the conseil départemental du département – or departmental council for the department, which is the principal administrative division of the French Republic.
In urban areas, a single commune generally includes several cantons. Conversely, in rural areas, a canton may comprise several smaller communes. In the latter case, administrative services, the gendarmerie headquarters for example, are often situated in the principal town (chef-lieu) of the canton, although there are exceptions, such as cantonsGaillon-Campagne and Sarreguemines-Campagne, which have in common a "chief-town" which does not belong to either canton.
For statistical (INSEE) purposes, the twenty arrondissements of Paris – the administrative subdivisions of that city – are sometimes considered cantons, but they serve no greater electoral function.[2]
Cantons also form legal districts, as seats of Tribunaux d'instance (TI) or Courts of First Instance. Historically, the cantons are called justices de paix or "district courts".
History
The cantons were created in 1790 at the same time as the départements by the Revolutionary Committee for the Division of Territory (Comité de division). They were more numerous than today (between 40 and 60 to each département). Cantons were, at first, grouped into what were called districts. After the abolition of the district in 1800, they were reorganized by the Consulate into arrondissements. The number of cantons was then drastically reduced (between 30 and 50 units) by the Loi du 8 pluviôse an IX (28 January 1801), or the "Law for the Reduction of the Number of District Courts", or Loi portant réduction du nombre de justices de paix in French. The départementprefects were told by the government to group the communes within newly established cantons. The département lists, once approved by the government, were published in the Bulletin des lois in 1801 and 1802; these lists were the basis of the administrative divisions of France from then until 2015, although cantons with small populations were eliminated and new cantons created in areas of strong demographic growth. On the whole, their number increased appreciably.
In May 2013 a law was adopted that reduced the number of cantons drastically.[3] This law came into effect at the French departmental elections in March 2015. Before the cantonal reform, there were 4,032 cantons; afterwards there were 2,054, with the cantons in Martinique and Guyana abolished.[4][5] The 2013 reform law also changed the representation of the cantons in the departmental councils: each canton is now represented by a man and a woman.[3]
Statistics
The number of cantons varies from one département to another; the Territoire de Belfort, for example, has 9, while Nord has 41.
^Roger Brunet (2015). "New cantons in France: Name games". L'Espace Géographique. 44. doi:10.3917/eg.441.0073.
^INSEE, Populations légales 2012 des cantons – découpage 2015
^ abLOI n° 2013-403 du 17 mai 2013 relative à l'élection des conseillers départementaux, des conseillers municipaux et des conseillers communautaires, et modifiant le calendrier électoral
^Code officiel géographique au 1er janvier 2013, INSEE
^Code officiel géographique au 1er janvier 2016, INSEE
January 13, 2023
cantons, france, cantons, france, territorial, subdivisions, french, republic, departments, arrondissements, cantoncantons, metropolitan, francecategoryfourth, level, administrative, divisionlocationregions, francenumber2, 2015, governmentdepartmental, council. The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic s departments and arrondissements CantonCantons of Metropolitan FranceCategoryFourth level administrative divisionLocationRegions of FranceNumber2 054 as of 2015 GovernmentDepartmental councilApart from their role as organizational units in relation to certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as constituencies for the election of members of the representative assemblies established in each of France s territorial departments departmental councils formerly general councils For this reason such elections were known in France as cantonal elections until 2015 when their name was changed to departmental elections to match the departmental councils name As of 2015 there were 2 054 cantons in France 1 Most of them group together a number of communes the lowest administrative division of the French Republic although larger communes may be included in more than one canton since the cantons in marked contrast to the communes which have between more than two million inhabitants Paris and just one person Rochefourchat are intended to be roughly equal in size of population Contents 1 Role and administration 2 History 3 Statistics 4 See also 5 ReferencesRole and administration EditThe role of the canton is essentially to provide a framework for departmental elections Each canton elects a woman and a man to represent it at the conseil departemental du departement or departmental council for the department which is the principal administrative division of the French Republic In urban areas a single commune generally includes several cantons Conversely in rural areas a canton may comprise several smaller communes In the latter case administrative services the gendarmerie headquarters for example are often situated in the principal town chef lieu of the canton although there are exceptions such as cantons Gaillon Campagne and Sarreguemines Campagne which have in common a chief town which does not belong to either canton For statistical INSEE purposes the twenty arrondissements of Paris the administrative subdivisions of that city are sometimes considered cantons but they serve no greater electoral function 2 Cantons also form legal districts as seats of Tribunaux d instance TI or Courts of First Instance Historically the cantons are called justices de paix or district courts History EditThe cantons were created in 1790 at the same time as the departements by the Revolutionary Committee for the Division of Territory Comite de division They were more numerous than today between 40 and 60 to each departement Cantons were at first grouped into what were called districts After the abolition of the district in 1800 they were reorganized by the Consulate into arrondissements The number of cantons was then drastically reduced between 30 and 50 units by the Loi du 8 pluviose an IX 28 January 1801 or the Law for the Reduction of the Number of District Courts or Loi portant reduction du nombre de justices de paix in French The departement prefects were told by the government to group the communes within newly established cantons The departement lists once approved by the government were published in the Bulletin des lois in 1801 and 1802 these lists were the basis of the administrative divisions of France from then until 2015 although cantons with small populations were eliminated and new cantons created in areas of strong demographic growth On the whole their number increased appreciably In May 2013 a law was adopted that reduced the number of cantons drastically 3 This law came into effect at the French departmental elections in March 2015 Before the cantonal reform there were 4 032 cantons afterwards there were 2 054 with the cantons in Martinique and Guyana abolished 4 5 The 2013 reform law also changed the representation of the cantons in the departmental councils each canton is now represented by a man and a woman 3 Statistics EditThe number of cantons varies from one departement to another the Territoire de Belfort for example has 9 while Nord has 41 See also EditAdministrative divisions of France Canton subnational entity List of cantons of FranceReferences Edit Roger Brunet 2015 New cantons in France Name games L Espace Geographique 44 doi 10 3917 eg 441 0073 INSEE Populations legales 2012 des cantons decoupage 2015 a b LOI n 2013 403 du 17 mai 2013 relative a l election des conseillers departementaux des conseillers municipaux et des conseillers communautaires et modifiant le calendrier electoral Code officiel geographique au 1er janvier 2013 INSEE Code officiel geographique au 1er janvier 2016 INSEE Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cantons of France amp oldid 1127831293, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
