Increasingly important role

Rhône-Alpes is one of France's 22 administrative regions.

At the institutional level, it has two assemblies, the Regional Council (Conseil Régional) and the Regional economic, social and environmental Council (Conseil Economique, social et environnemental régional), known as the CESER. The Regional Council is run by 157 regional councillors elected by direct universal suffrage for a four-year term (2010/2014). Its role is to deal with the Region's business during plenary assembly and standing committee meetings. The Regional Council's remit affects numerous aspects of its citizens' daily lives, including transport, high schools and colleges and even employment. The councillors elect a president who joins together with fifteen vice-presidents and nine appointed councillors, each of whom is responsible for a specific policy area (culture, international relations, etc.), to form the Executive.
The CESER is an Assembly composed of 122 members from the trade union, voluntary and economic sectors, which examines certain matters and delivers opinions to the Regional Council and its President.  The President may also refer any issue connected with the Regional Council's remit to the CESER.