Local Self-Government in Czech Republic

In this chapter, the authors conducted an analysis of how the principles set forth in the European Charter of Local Self-Government reflect in the Czech national legislation. First they outlined the historical development of the self-governance and state-administration, so that they could later focus on the regulation in force today. In so doing, they also pointed out several areas, in which the incorporation of the Charter into the Czech legal order could be still improved: constitution and legal foundation for local self-government, distinction between the state-administration and self-administration, local taxes, etc. In spite of all these challenges and imperfections of the complex incorporation of the Charter into the Czech legal order, it shall be emphasized that as for the self-governance at the general level, the legal order of the Czech Republic is a complex legal order of a modern state that follows the rule of law.