Devolution
The transfer of powers from a central government to regional governments, without changing the country's unitary constitutional status.
Explanation
Devolution is the process by which a central government grants governing powers to subnational regions while retaining ultimate sovereignty. Unlike federalism (where regional power is constitutionally guaranteed), devolved powers exist because the central government has chosen to delegate them and could theoretically take them back. The United Kingdom is the most prominent example: Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have devolved parliaments with powers over areas like health, education, and some taxation, but the UK Parliament at Westminster retains ultimate sovereignty. Devolution can be asymmetric — different regions may have different levels of power (Scotland has more powers than Wales, for example).
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