Samtgemeinde

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A Samtgemeinde (German pronunciation: ['zamtgəmaɪndə]; plural: Samtgemeinden) is a type of administrative division in Lower Saxony, Germany. Samtgemeinden are local government associations of municipalities, equal to the Ämter in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Brandenburg, and the Verbandsgemeinden in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Organs

Samtgemeinden have three organs:

• The Samtgemeinde mayor (German: [Samtgemeindebürgermeister] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), elected directly every five years.
• The Samtgemeinde council, (German: [Samtgemeinderat] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) elected every five years.
• The Samtgemeinde committee (German: [Samtgemeindeausschuss] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)).

The Samtgemeinde committee has the Samtgemeinde mayor (the chairman of the committee), and according to size of the council from four to ten assistants and the council can decide a rise by two (§56 paragraph 2 local government law).