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Luxembourg's 100 communes (Luxembourgish: Gemengen [ɡəˈmæŋən]; French: communes; German: Gemeinden) conform to LAU Level 2[1] and are the country's lowest administrative divisions.
Communes rank below cantons in Luxembourg's hierarchy of administrative subdivisions. Communes are often re-arranged, being merged or divided as demanded by demographic change over time. Unlike the cantons, which have remained unchanged since their creation, the identity of the communes has not become ingrained within the geographical sensations of the average Luxembourger.[citation needed] The cantons are responsible for the ceremonial, administrative, and statistical aspects of government, while the communes provide local government services.[2]
The municipal system was adopted when Luxembourg was annexed into the French département of Forêts in 1795. Despite ownership passing to the Netherlands, this system was maintained until it was introduced upon independence in 1843. The province of Luxembourg, which now constitutes part of Belgium, was part of Luxembourg prior to 1839 when it possessed a low degree of sovereignty. Due to Luxembourg's incorporation into the main country by its occupying powers, the modern municipal system in Luxembourg is less than two centuries old.
- ^ Statec (2003), p. 9&10
- ^ "Devolution in Luxembourg" (PDF). Committee of the Regions. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-08-22. Retrieved 2006-07-18.