Municipal autonomy

In Switzerland, municipalities are not sovereign like cantons, but they may enjoy constitutionally protected autonomy within the scope granted by cantonal law. This autonomy can cover local organisation, planning, public services, taxation, schools, or other tasks, depending on the canton. It protects genuine municipal discretion against undue interference by cantonal authorities, while allowing supervision for legality and sometimes appropriateness where the law permits. Because municipal powers differ widely across cantons, the content of autonomy must be assessed in the relevant cantonal framework.