What’s a legislative decree?

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A legislative order is a form of action initiated by the legislator of a government which dictates that a certain action be taken. This may or may not involve the executive branch of a political system. Notably, these actions usually supersede mandates issued by the executive governing body and may require the intervention of this section of government or circumvent it in an attempt to maintain control through the legislative body. Many countries do not allow this procedure under their constitutions, but some guarantee its use in crisis events such as the death of a president.

The most common use of a legislative order is in countries that operate with a parliament, such as the United Kingdom. Due to the strong power of the representatives in this system, it places further powers in the hands of the body. This means they can issue legislative orders that the Prime Minister or the monarchy must follow. In countries like the United States, with a strong executive branch, a legislative order usually simply involves calling witnesses to testify or deciding to adjourn.

One of the most prevalent eras in which a legislative order was used to request action from an executive was during the French Revolution. Because of the anti-authoritarian approach to much of the political upheaval, there was a lack of a strong central leader during most of the late eighteenth century, until Napoleon Bonaparte’s coup d’état in 1700. The French Revolution established a variety of different legislative bodies in the years following the 1799 meeting of the States General. In order to maintain order and drive military forces away from the nation’s proverbial gates, organizations such as the National Constituent Assembly and the Convention National legislative orders have been enacted over the years, which have been enforced by various committees that have functioned as the executive branch. A famous example was the levee en masse, a legislative order enacted in 1789 that required all citizens in France to work on the war effort as soldiers or workers.

Another prime example of history took place during World War II. When Belgium was invaded by Nazi Germany, the Belgian parliament was forced to dissolve. Most of the representatives went into exile, while the king of Belgium remained a German prisoner. To continue the war effort with soldiers and military groups still in action, Parliament met overseas and issued mandates. Each of these legislative orders helped guide the Belgian people and military in their actions during the long occupation.

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