A royal ordinance of 1845 created three types of administration in Algeria. In areas where Europeans comprised a substantial part of the population, the "colons" elected mayors and councils for self-governing "full exercise" communes ("communes de plein exercice"). In the "mixed" communes, where Muslims were a large majority, government was exercised by officials, most of whom were appointed but some of whom were elected. These governments included representatives of the "grands chefs" (great chieftains) and a French administrator. The indigenous communes ("communes indigènes"), remote areas not adequately pacified, remained under the "régime du sabre", direct rule by the military.