Who runs local government in Germany?
Germany is a federation of 16 Länder (states), and each Land writes its own municipal code, so local government differs from state to state. Below the Länder are about 400 districts and county-free cities and roughly 10,700 municipalities. Self-government is guaranteed by the Basic Law, councils and mayors are directly elected everywhere, and citizens can force local referendums.
Federal Republic of Germany · Federal parliamentary republic · Western Europe
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Länder (16, including the city-states Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen) | Elected parliaments and governments | Make the municipal codes (Gemeindeordnungen), supervise municipalities, run police and schools policy. |
| Government districts (Regierungsbezirke) in some Länder | Headed by appointed officials | State administration, not self-government. |
| Districts (Landkreise, 294) and county-free cities (kreisfreie Städte, 106) – 2021 figures | District council (Kreistag) elected; district head (Landrat) directly elected in most Länder | Social assistance, district roads, waste, hospitals, vehicle registration, some schools. |
| Municipalities (Gemeinden, about 10,700) | Municipal council elected; mayor (Bürgermeister) directly elected in all 13 territorial states | Local planning, childcare, primary school buildings, local roads, water, culture; they levy business tax and property tax. |
| Localities and city districts (Ortschaften, Ortsbezirke, Bezirke) | Local councils (Ortschaftsrat, Ortsbeirat) often directly elected | Advise and decide small local matters within the municipality. |
Three questions about local power in Germany
Are local leaders elected?
Councils, mayors and (in most Länder) district heads are directly elected; terms vary by Land (usually five or six years for councils, up to eight for mayors). Officials in government districts are appointed.
Which laws set up local government?
Article 28(2) of the Basic Law guarantees municipal self-government; Land constitutions and municipal codes set the rest. Clubs and voluntary bodies are informal except where law gives roles (e.g. fire brigades).
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters, including through recall votes in some Länder; Land supervisory authorities (Kommunalaufsicht) check legality; constitutional complaints can be brought by municipalities; administrative courts.
Traditional and customary authority
No customary authority. The main churches are public-law corporations; the state collects church tax for them, and they run many hospitals, kindergartens and care homes under contract, so they are big local service providers but have no governing power. The Sorbian minority in Saxony and Brandenburg has recognised language rights and a representative organisation (Domowina), but no separate local authority.
Community and neighbourhood power
Every Land allows a citizens' petition (Bürgerbegehren) that can trigger a binding citizens' decision (Bürgerentscheid) on local matters. Many municipalities have advisory councils for foreigners or migrants (Integrationsräte), youth councils, and seniors' councils. Voluntary fire brigades and clubs (Vereine) are central to village life.
Points to know
- Bavaria has an extra elected tier: seven Bezirke (regional districts) with their own assemblies.
- In Berlin and Hamburg the 'districts' (Bezirke) have elected assemblies but are part of the city-state, not separate municipalities.
- Some small municipalities share administration through Ämter or Verbandsgemeinden.
- EU citizens can vote in municipal and district elections; other foreigners cannot.
Local terms
- Gemeindeordnung
- Municipal code, a Land law that sets how municipalities work.
- Landrat
- Head of a rural district, usually directly elected.
- Bürgerentscheid
- A binding local referendum started by citizens.
Sources
- Constitution of Germany (Basic Law) (1949, rev. 2014), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Gemeindeverzeichnis (official list of municipalities), Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), checked 14 October 2026
- Germany: country profile (territorial organisation, responsibilities, finance), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Germany: monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Recommendation 469 (2022)), Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CARTA-MONITOR), checked 14 October 2026
See also: Germany's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.