Division of Subjects of Jurisdiction and Powers Between the Center, Regions and Municipalities in Constitutions of Federal and Decentralized Countries

Introduction: the fundamental issue of federal construction is the division of competence, which serves as an indicator of the degree of centralization. However, it is not sufficiently clear what issues should be assigned to each level of government (the center, regions, municipalities) and what issues are to be addressed jointly. Purpose: on the basis of constitutions of decentralized countries, to develop an average model of division of subjects of jurisdiction and powers between the levels of government, which could be used to assess the degree of centralization. Methods: comparison, description, interpretation; formal and dialectical logic; legal-dogmatic method and interpretation of legal norms; quantitative comparative legal method. Results: the stated model has been derived. The issues of organization of regional power are subject to joint jurisdiction, while those related to the organization of federal power are within federal competence. Foreign policy and defense are almost entirely federal matters. Law and order are ensured jointly with the decisive role of the center. Structural parameters of the economy are regulated by the federation, but individual sectors may be within federal, regional, or joint competence. Social issues are mainly resolved cooperatively. Education, culture, language, and religion often become the subject of regional jurisdiction. However, knowledge-intensive spheres such as science and higher education are predominantly federal. In the tax field, the more mobile the source of income, the more likely it is to be taxed at the federal level. More sustainable sources of income are taxed by regions. Conclusions: the objectives of the study have been achieved. Many subjects of jurisdiction cannot be assigned to a certain level of government as constitutions provide diametrically opposite answers to these questions. Very little attention is paid in the constitutions to the regulation of municipal competence, which is why in the article it is often considered in combination with regional competence.