The Regional Council is characterized as the representative body (Středočeském kraji) of the Ústí Region, an independent territorially self-governing unit (samostatným územně samosprávným celkem), to the extent stipulated by the Act on Regions (No. 129/2000 Coll.). It administers the region, elects the regional Governor and an eleven-member county council (i.e., rada kraje) led by the Governor. It is the only regional body whose members are directly elected by the citizens in democratic elections, and, as a consequence, is deigned superior to all others. The representative body has 55 members who serve for a period of 4 years.
