The Canton of Douai is an administrative subdivision of the Nord department in the Hauts‑de‑France region of northern France. It serves as a territorial unit for the election of councilors to the departmental council.
Creation and legal basis
The current boundaries of the canton were established by the French government decree of 17 February 2014, which reorganised cantons nationwide. The reorganisation came into effect at the departmental elections held in March 2015.
Seat
The administrative seat (chef‑lieu) of the canton is the commune of Douai itself.
Composition
Since the 2015 reorganisation, the canton of Douai is co‑terminous with the single commune of Douai; no other communes are included within its limits.
Geographical context
- Department: Nord (department number 59)
- Region: Hauts‑de‑France
- Location: The canton is situated in the central‑eastern part of the Nord department, approximately 30 km east of Lille.
Population
According to the most recent figures published by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), the commune of Douai – and therefore the canton of Douai – had a population of around 40 000 inhabitants in the 2018 legal population census.
Functions
The canton functions primarily as an electoral district for the election of two councilors (one male, one female) to the Nord departmental council, in accordance with the binomial parity system introduced by the 2013 law on gender parity in local elections.
References
- Décret n° 2014‑167 du 17 février 2014 portant délimitation des cantons dans le département du Nord.
- INSEE, Populations légales 2018, commune de Douai (59178).
All information provided reflects data available from official French governmental publications and statistical agencies.
