autonomy; right of self-government
Refers to the legal or political right of a region, group, or institution to govern itself independently.
The region gained autonomy.
We should grant the right of self-government to ethnic minorities.
This region has its own autonomy.
The government granted the state a certain degree of autonomy.
The municipality exercised its autonomy to enact an ordinance.
The central government was criticized for infringing on local autonomy.