Freguesia

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The freguesia [ frɛɡɘˈziɐ ] is the smallest administrative unit and the lowest level of corporations (autarquias) in local self-government in Portugal , which corresponds approximately to a municipality . At least earlier they corresponded to the parish of a church . Freguesias are grouped together in Municípios .

The freguesia also exist as an administrative unit in states that emerged from Portuguese colonies , for example in Cape Verde .

etymology

The term freguesia is derived from the vulgar Latin name filius ecclesiae ("son of the church") and is the secular equivalent of the word parish in the German parish .

history

Until the Liberal Revolution in Portugal in 1822 and the Miguelistenkrieg in 1834, the ecclesiastical parish ( Paróquia ) in the Kingdom of Portugal was identical to the state administrative unit. With the administrative reform of July 18, 1835, the official communities were distinguished from the ecclesiastical. With the law of June 23, 1916, the state administrative units were henceforth called Freguesias . Colloquially, however, the term freguesia has also been used for the parish to this day.

Until 2013 Portugal had 4,259 freguesias, which were reduced to 3,091 with the administrative reorganization in Portugal in 2013 . The implementation took place only in continental Portugal (status: February 2015); in the autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores , it is entrusted to the two island parliaments.

This administrative structure can still be found in some of the former Portuguese overseas territories, although it is most similar to the Portuguese one in Cape Verde . Macau, for example, is divided into seven freguesias.

structure

Several freguesias are combined to form a município . A freguesia can have a very small territory, but there are also freguesias whose area exceeds 100 square kilometers or includes dozens of smaller towns. The population can also vary greatly. It is possible for the municípios to found new freguesias within the framework established by law.

There are currently six municípios in Portugal that contain only one freguesia . The município with the highest number of freguesias is Barcelos with 89 parishes.

As part of the statistical breakdown of the EU , the freguesias form the fifth and lowest level ( LAU 2 ; see also: NUTS: PT ).

administration

Each freguesia is governed by a Junta de Freguesia, in German about council assembly of the community as an executive body. This is elected by the elected Assembleia de Freguesia, i.e. the community assembly.

The president of the Junta da Freguesia is the head of the municipality and corresponds to a mayor. He is a born member , so automatically a member of the Assembleia Municipal of the associated Municípios.

The responsibilities of the freguesia are generally not very extensive, which is why the body of the municípios, the Câmara Municipal and its president, are of greater importance in public and political perception , although their position and influence are in fact very much due to the possibility of taking on municipal responsibilities can be different. Overall, however, municipal self-government does not achieve a level comparable to that of German municipalities; in particular, the Freguesias lack general planning authority .

literature

  • José António dos Santos: As Freguesias. História e actualidade. Celta Editora, Oeiras 1995, ISBN 972-8027-38-9 .
  • Isabel Silva (Ed.): Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias. 2nd Edition. 4 volumes. Minha Terra, Matosinhos 1996–98 (Portuguese):
    • Braga… In: Isabel Silva (Ed.): Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias . 2nd Edition. tape 1 : Braga, Porto, Viana do Castelo . Minha Terra, Matosinhos 1996, ISBN 972-96087-2-3  ( formally incorrect ) (Portuguese).
    • Aveiro… In: Isabel Silva (Ed.): Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Santarém e Viseu . Minha Terra, Matosinhos 1997, ISBN 972-96087-5-X (Portuguese).
    • Bragança… In: Isabel Silva (Ed.): Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias . 2nd Edition. tape 3 : Bragança, Guarda, Vila Real . Minha Terra, Matosinhos 1997, ISBN 972-96087-7-6 (Portuguese).
    • Beja… In: Isabel Silva (Ed.): Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias . 2nd Edition. tape 4 : Beja, Castelo Branco, Évora, Faro, Lisboa, Portalegre, Setúbal, Açores, Madeira . Minha Terra, Matosinhos 1998, ISBN 972-97885-0-2 (Portuguese).

Web links

  • List of Portuguese freguesias. (No longer available online.) In: memoriaportuguesa.pt. January 21, 2010, archived from the original on April 17, 2018 (Portuguese, in 2008 Portugal had 4260 freguesias, of which 4050 were in continental Europe, 156 in the Autonomous Region of Azores and 54 in the Autonomous Region of Madeira): “ Em 2008, segundo o Instituto Nacional de Estatística, Portugal possuía 4,260 freguesias, distribuídas pelo Continente (4,050), Região Autónoma dos Açores (156) e Região Autónoma da Madeira (54). ";
  • Freguesia; Freguesia vs. Paróquia. (No longer available online.) In: opac.biblioteca.cm-vncerveira.pt. February 15, 2010, archived from the original on February 15, 2019 (Portuguese, extended bibliographical information on the directory of freguesias in the Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias ).;

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Freguesia. In: Grande Enciclopédia Portuguesa e Brasileira. 40 volumes. Volume 11: Febre-Gabao. Edited by António Mendes Correia, António Sérgio, Armando Gonçalves Pereira, António Maria Godinho a. a. Editorial Enciclopédia, Lisboa / Rio de Janeiro 1935–1960, OCLC 490044460 .
  2. ↑ Freguesia; Freguesia vs. Paróquia. (No longer available online.) In: opac.biblioteca.cm-vncerveira.pt. February 15, 2010, archived from the original on February 15, 2019 ; Retrieved September 15, 2019 (Portuguese, extended bibliographical information on the directory of Freguesias in the Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias ).
  3. ^ In addition to the five relevant municípios in continental Portugal, there is also the "special case" of the Azorean island of Corvo . The Município Entroncamento , which was previously attributable here , was divided into two Freguesias. See Freguesia. (No longer available online.) In: opac.biblioteca.cm-vncerveira.pt. February 15, 2010, archived from the original on February 15, 2019 (Portuguese, extended bibliographical information on the directory of freguesias in the Dicionário Enciclopédico das Freguesias ).;