Provinces of Dogger



The provinces of Dogger are the first layer of subdivisions in the country of Dogger, in between the municipalities and the national government.

Since the Dogric provincial reforms of 1978 there have been four provinces in Dogger: Eyjittsmiddi, Norðurlátter, Dalurer og Eyjerne and Völþreskóve. Prior to 1978 there were 31 provinces. Provinces currently have several decentralised rights and responsibilities, but are no longer federal entities as they were before the reforms.

Politics and governance
A province is governed by a Provincial Senate (Prövinssenat), which is controlled by a Provincial Gathering (Prövinsgáðre). The Senate is responsible for the overall management of a province and is comprised of eight Senators, whereas the Gathering is responsible for scrutiny and oversight of the Senate.

The leader of a province is the Jarl, who is appointed for a six-year term by the Island Council of Dogger on the advice of the Gathering. The Jarl presides over both Senate and Gathering.

Elections
Members of the Gatherings are elected in staggered elections, with half of the seats up for election every two years for a term of four years. Provincial elections are held on the same day nationwide. After every election, newly elected Members of the Gatherings elected one third of the Island Council of Dogger.

Members of the Provincial Senates are elected from amongst the members of a Gathering for a two year term and can be indefinitely reelected.

History


For more information, see historical provinces of Dogger.

Dogger has historically been divided into various largely autonomous regions of varied natures. A number of these regions were governed by hereditary rulers, whilst other regions were de facto republics. These regions were loosely connected under the Island Council of Dogger, convening in Eyjittsmiddi, where each region was represented by six Councillors, except for the Half Provinces, which sent three Councillors each, and the One Thirds Provinces, which sent two Councillors each.

Provinces lost part of their autonomy under the Reconfiguration of the Provinces Act 1877. This included the abolition of hereditary rulers in provinces, and the creation of the House of Representatives of Dogger. They nevertheless held autonomous powers and their own laws and constitutions, and were still represented directly in the Island Council.

The Provincial Reforms Act 1975 established the grounds for the Dogric provincial reforms of 1978. The 31 provinces were abolished and replaced with the four current provinces, and the federal system was replaced with a unitary one.