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Constitució Espanyola
Section 138
- 1. The State guarantees the effective implementation of the principle of solidarity proclaimed in section 2 of the Constitution, by endeavouring to establish a fair and adequate economic balance between the different areas of the Spanish territory and taking into special consideration the circumstances pertaining to those which are islands.
- 2. Differences between Statutes of the different Self governing Communities may in no case imply economic or social privileges.
Section 139
- 1. All Spaniards have the same rights and obligations in any part of the State territory.
- 2. No authority may adopt measures which directly or indirectly hinder freedom of movement and settlement of persons and free movement of goods throughout the Spanish territory.
CHAPTER II
Local Government
Section 140
- The Constitution guarantees the autonomy of municipalities. These shall enjoy full legal personality. Their government and administration shall be vested in their Town Councils, consisting of Mayors and councillors. Councillors shall be elected by residents of the municipality by universal, equal, free, direct and secret suffrage, in the manner provided for by the law. The Mayors shall be elected by the councillors or by the residents. The law shall lay down the terms under which an open council of all residents may proceed.
Section 141
- 1. The province is a local entity, with its own legal personality, arising from the grouping of municipalities, and a territorial division designed to carry out the activities of the State. Any alteration of provincial boundaries must be approved by the Cortes Generales in an organic act.
- 2. The government and autonomous administration of the provinces shall be entrusted to Provincial Councils (Diputaciones) or other Corporations that must be representative in character.
- 3. Groups of municipalities other than provinces may be formed.
- 4. In the archipelagos, each island shall also have its own administration in the form of Cabildo or Insular Council.
Section 142
- Local treasuries must have sufficient funds available in order to perform the tasks assigned by law to the respective Corporations, and shall mainly be financed by their own taxation as well as by their share of State taxes and those of Self governing Communities.
CHAPTER III
Self-governing Communities
Section 143
- 1. In the exercise of the right to self government recognized in section 2 of the Constitution, bordering provinces with common historic, cultural and economic characteristics, insular territories and provinces with a historic regional status may accede to self government and form Self governing Communities (Comunidades Autónomas) in conformity with the provisions contained in this Part and in the respective Statutes.
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