phrase "national authority"

[Vanity Fair]

Can someone, please, explain it to me is "the national authorities" in the sentence:

Because regional governments possess jurisdiction only over enumerated matters, and even they are subject in part to the overriding powers of the national authorities, their actual role and political weight within the system largely depend on the will of the central government to buttress or to restrict their autonomy.

as same as the "central government"?

Jovana

[Mister Micawber]

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Yes.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's