In the Republic of Croatia, state power is organized on the principle of the division of power into legislative, executive and judicial, and limited by the constitutionally guaranteed right of citizens to local and regional (regional) self-government. The right to self-government is based on direct, equal and universal suffrage. Local self-government in the Republic of Croatia consists of 428 municipalities and 128 cities. The city of Zagreb, as a separate territorial unit, has the status of a city and a county. The City and Municipal Councils are representative bodies of citizens, and the executive body in the municipality is the municipality mayor, and in the city the city mayor. Local self-government units regulate the internal organization and scope of their bodies independently, within the framework of the law, with their statutes. Citizens can directly participate in the management of local affairs, through assemblies, referendums and local self-government. Local self-government is the foundation of a democratic and decentralized state, which system must be at the service of citizens and satisfy the interests and needs of the local population. The paper presents the system and scope of local self-government in the example of the city of Šibenik, which has the status of a large city.