Differences between a prefecture and a province

In the Kingdom of Morocco, the prefecture and the province are important. They are key parts of the administrative division. Even though many confuse them, they are very different.

A prefecture helps to manage a department. Since 1982, they have been grouped into regions. Each region has its own regional council. The prefectures handle local affairs, helping to implement policies. This gives them an important role in the country.

The provinces were created during the old regime. This was before the French Revolution of 1789. Today, this concept is no longer the same. We talk about provinces to differentiate Paris from the rest of the country. This term can sometimes seem negative. It often portrays Paris as more advanced, and the rest of the country as more rural.

What is a prefecture?

The prefecture is the capital of the department. Since 1982, the departments have been part of larger regions. Each region has a regional council to govern it.

The prefectures play a key role. They help enforce laws locally. This is important for effectively managing the territories.

In 2006, France spent 1.742 billion euros to organize its territories. Most of this money (73%) was used to pay employees. 19% went to current expenses and 8% to new projects.

The French maritime domain has three maritime prefectures. There is Brest for the Atlantic, Toulon for the Mediterranean, and Cherbourg for the English Channel and the North Sea. These prefectures handle affairs at sea. They assist the navy and other administrative services.

The regional prefectures date back to 1964. They cover the administrative regions established in the 1950s. The regional prefect is often also the prefect of the main department of the region.

In Paris and Marseille, there are police prefectures. They are under the authority of the Minister of the Interior. Their job is to ensure safety in these large cities.

Each department can have its own services. Since 2010, there have been inter-ministerial departmental directorates. They help to better coordinate the actions of several ministries locally.

Prefecture vs province

Previously, provinces were administrative units in France. This was before 1789, before the revolution. Now, we no longer have provinces.

We still use the word “province” to refer to areas outside of Paris. But this is not due to an official division. Essentially, it is more of a gentle mockery of those who say that everything important happens in Paris.

Now, let’s talk about the prefectures. They are very important for local management. It is thanks to them that we follow the government’s ideas at a level close to home.

Administrative subdivisions of Morocco

Morocco has administrative subdivisions. They help to organize the territory. Here are some of the administrative regions: The country has a surface area of 35,187 km².

These administrative subdivisions show the diversity of Morocco, especially the city of art and history. Each region has its specific needs. Thanks to this, local management is better adapted.

Morocco manages most of Western Sahara. However, there is a territorial conflict there. This conflict influences the governance of the region.

Local governance and decentralized management

The prefectures are very important for the region. They help to govern the territory closely with the people. Together, they make plans for what is good for where we live.

Morocco has 1,538 places where people live, including large cities and villages. These places are part of 13 regions and 62 provinces. This way of organizing things shows that we want to be close to the residents.

Each region has a group of 75 members who make important decisions. They discuss how to grow the money of each region or create jobs. This is so that we can live better wherever we are.

The funds come from the State to help the regions. For example, the State shares 30% of the VAT money with them. It also gives them a portion of the business and salary funds. Since 2021, it has even provided a fixed sum of 10 billion to the regions. This shows that we want them to be more free and strong.