Local and regional self-government in the Republic of Croatia is an important part of the country's political system. These forms of governance ensure the decentralization of power and enable local and regional units to make independent decisions on issues affecting their areas. Local selfgovernment in Croatia includes cities and municipalities. Cities are the largest local units that have a more pronounced urban character, while municipalities are more rural units that include smaller settlements. Each local unit has its own representative body, which is called the City Council or the Municipal Council, and an executive body consisting of the mayor or chief and corresponding administrative bodies. The City or Municipal Council consists of councilors who were elected in local elections. They make decisions on local issues, such as the budget, urban plans, utilities, education, culture and other local policies. The mayor or chief is the executive figure who implements the decisions of the Council and manages the daily affairs of the local unit. Regional self-government in Croatia is organized at the county level. Counties are administrative units that include several cities and municipalities in a certain geographical area. There are 20 counties in Croatia, including the City of Zagreb, which has the status of a county. The county assembly is the representative body of the county and consists of county councilors elected in regional elections. The prefect is the executive figure of the county and is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Assembly and managing county affairs. Local and regional self-governments have a wide range of powers in the Republic of Croatia. These units manage local finances, provide services to citizens (e.g. education, health, social welfare), maintain communal infrastructure, promote economic development, take care of environmental protection and much more. Also, local and regional self-governments play a role in cooperation with the state level of government and work together to achieve the goals and interests of citizens.