Territorial collectivity

A territorial collectivity (French: collectivité territoriale, previously collectivité locale), or territorial authority,[1] is a chartered administrative division of France with recognized governing authority. It is the generic name for any territory with an elective form of local government and local regulatory authority. The nature of a French territorial collectivity is set forth in Article 72 of the Constitution of France (1958), which provides for local autonomy within limits prescribed by law.[2]