unitary state

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noun

A system of governance in which a single, central government holds supreme authority, and any administrative divisions have only the powers that the central authority chooses to delegate.

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However, following a 1972 referendum which moved the country to a unitary state, the office was scrapped.

From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026

The new emperor, Franz Joseph I, declared that Austria was a unitary state.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025