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In France, the President of the General Council is the locally-elected head of the Conseil Général, the assembly governing a département, a county-level territory.
The position is elected by the 1871, a law was enacted that gave each canton (subdivision of département) representation of a Councillor (Conseiller Général).
As a result of the decentralization of Government the election criteria were redefined in 1982, and in 1985 the President of the General Council took over executive powers from the centrally-appointed prefect.
The situation in a Département d'outre-mer (overseas territory) can be explained as follows. Generally, these territories are simultaneously départements and régions. The President of the general council may also serve concurrently as President of the Regional Council.