The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) is an association of local governments in Spain (town councils, provincial councils, island councils, island cabildos, etc) for the purpose of representing the interests of local government to other government authorities. In June 2023, there were 7,324 members of a potential 12,060.[1]
The founding and statutory aims of the FEMP are the promotion and defense of the autonomy of the local government authorities (known in the constitution as local entities), the representation and defense of the general interests of local government before the bodies of Public Administration, the development and consolidation of the European spirit at the local level based on autonomy and solidarity among local authorities, promoting and fostering friendly relations and cooperation with local gov ernment authorities, especially in the European, Ibero-American and Arab areas, the provision of services to members.
FEMP’s annual budget for 2026 is €33.9 million. All members pay a fee based on their population, although the bulk of the budget, 72%, is provided by the Ministry of Finance.[2]
Foundation
The origins of the FEMP dates back to 1979, when a group of around twenty mayors started a process to increase the recognition of the local administration. Between 1980 and 1981 these mayors elaborated the internal rules of the FEMP and the constituent assembly met June 13 and 14, 1981.[3]
In 1985, the Federation was officially recognized under the provisions of Additional Provision 5 of the Local Government Act[4] and was declared a Public Utility Association by agreement of the Council of Ministers on June 26, 1985. FEMP is also the Spanish branch of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), and is the official headquarters of the Ibero-American Organization of Intermunicipal Cooperation (ICCO).
Headquarters
FEMP headquarters is located at 8 Nuncio Street, Madrid, in an old house-palace from the end of the 17th century.
Regional affiliates
Each of the regions or autonomous communities also has a local government association. FEMP has signed voluntary cooperation agreements with 17 such associations including:
With the reform of the procedure of voting of the census of Spanish residents abroad, the institutional participation in the local administration by the 2,406,611[5] Spanish citizens abroad is separated from the municipal elections and is channeled through its own mechanisms such as the Councils of Spanish Residents Abroad,[6] thus generating the challenge of incorporating these Councils as other local Entities[7] as full members of the Federation or in the case of the General Council of Spanish Citizenship Abroad as an Honor partner.
↑Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation. "Register of Local Entities". Local Entity Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved June 10, 2022.
↑Order AEC / 2172/2010, of July 13, which regulates the constitution, election and operation of the Councils of Spanish residents abroad.
↑Article 1. of the Statutes of the FEMP: "The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces is an Association constituted by Municipalities, Islands, Provinces and other Local Authorities that voluntarily decide it"
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