List of heads of state and government who suspended the constitution

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The following heads of state and government formally suspended provisions of their state's constitution while in office.

Contents

Suspended in full

NameCountryYearReason
Lord North
King George III of Great Britain 		Colonial-Red-Ensign.svg Massachusetts 1774Introduced the Massachusetts Government Act in Parliament rescinding the Massachusetts colonial charter, dissolving the elected legislature, and instituting martial law under the command of General Thomas Gage in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party. Resulted in the Battles of Lexington and Concord beginning the American Revolution and the United States declaring independence from Great Britain. [1]
Antonio López de Santa Anna Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg  Mexico 1835Abolished the 1824 Federal Constitution and established the Siete Leyes in their place to centralize the government. Constitution restored by José Mariano Salas after Lopez de Santa Anna's resignation after the Mexican–American War.
Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg New Zealand 1848 [2] The constitution put in place by the Colonial Office in London put all power in the hands of the small settler population. Grey suspended the constitution rather than risk all-out war with the much larger native Māori population.
Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France 1851Abolished the Constitution of 1848 after a self-coup due to constitutional term limits preventing his reelection as President of France. Drafted Constitution of 1852 in its place.
Abdul Hamid II Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Empire 1878Used the Russo-Turkish War as a pretext to prorogue the Ottoman General Assembly, suspend the Constitution of 1876, and execute the Constitution's author Midhat Pasha. Later reinstated the Constitution after the Young Turk Revolution in 1908.
Deodoro da Fonseca Flag of Brazil (1853-1889).svg  Brazil 1889Suspended the Imperial Constitution of 1823 along with abolishing the Empire of Brazil, overthrowing Emperor Pedro II, and proclaiming a republic.
Miguel Primo de Rivera Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain 1923Suspended Constitution of 1876 after leading Spanish Armed Forces coup d'etat.
Alexander I of Yugoslavia Flag of Yugoslavia (1918-1943).svg  Yugoslavia 1929–1931An assassination in the National Assembly was used as a pretext for absolutism and the dissolution of the Assembly.
Kimon Georgiev Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 1934Suspended the Tarnovo Constitution after the 1934 Bulgarian coup d'état.
Carol II of Romania Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 1938Suspended the Constitution of 1923 after performing self-coup and taking emergency powers with the assistance of Land Forces officer Ion Gigurtu.
Francisco Franco Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 1939–1975Suspended the Constitution of 1931 after Nationalist victory in Spanish Civil War and promulgated the Fundamental Laws of the Realm in its place.
Ion Antonescu Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 1940–1944Suspended the Constitution of 1938 after King Carol II granted him authoritarian powers. Ruled by decree until King Michael's Coup in 1944.
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Ching-kuo 		Flag of the Republic of China.svg  China 1948–1991Effectively nullified the Constitution of 1948 with the Temporary Provisions against the Communist Rebellion instituting martial law and curtailing civil liberties under the pretext of the Chinese Civil War, the retreat to Taiwan, and the planned recapture of the Mainland. Martial law in Taiwan ended in 1987 under President Chiang Ching-kuo and the Constitution reinstated by the National Assembly in 1991 under President Lee Teng-hui after the abolition of the Kuomintang one-party state.
Fulgencio Batista Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg  Cuba 1952Suspended Constitution of 1940 after leading coup d'état against the Partido Auténtico government of President Carlos Prío Socarrás due to his poor showing in the forthcoming elections. Fidel Castro of the 26th of July Movement pledged to reinstate the 1940 Constitution in his "History Will Absolve Me" speech during the Cuban Revolution but delayed doing so after overthrowing Batista in 1959 and ultimately drafted the new 1976 Constitution.
Joseph Arthur Ankrah Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1966Suspended constitution along with the National Liberation Council after military coup against the government of Kwame Nkrumah.
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  Central African Republic 1966Suspended constitution during the Saint-Sylvestre coup d'état against the government of Prime Minister David Dacko. Bokassa later created the Central African Empire and declared himself Emperor. Constitution restored after the French military intervention against Bokassa in 1979.
Milton Obote Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 1966Suspended Parliament and the Constitution after being implicated in a gold smuggling plot with the Deputy Commander of the Uganda People's Defence Force Idi Amin.
Leabua Jonathan Flag of Lesotho (1966-1987).svg  Lesotho 1970Suspended Constitution in a coup d'état after early results for the 1970 general election showed the ruling Basotho National Party losing to the Basutoland Congress Party.
Libyan Revolutionary Command Council (headed by Muammar Gaddafi)Flag of Libya (1969-1972).svg  Libya 1969Suspended Constitution after coming to power in the 1969 Libyan revolution. Replaced it with an interim constitutional declaration.
Park Chung Hee Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg  South Korea 1972Suspended the Constitution after nearly losing power in the 1971 presidential election. Issued the Yushin Constitution and placed country under martial law.
Ferdinand Marcos Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 1972Marcos claimed that a supposed Communist takeover of the government compelled him to suspend the 1935 Constitution and impose martial law. Ratified the 1973 Constitution in its place and won its approval in the Ratification Cases of the Supreme Court.
Augusto Pinochet Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 1973–1980Suspended the Constitution of 1925 after seizing power in a United States-sponsored coup d'état and constructing a military dictatorship. Ratified the Constitution of 1980 in its place.
Sobhuza II Flag of Eswatini.svg  Swaziland 1973Repealed the Constitution and suspended Parliament, replacing the government with a state of absolute monarchy.
Juan María Bordaberry Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 1973Used a Tupamaros general strike as pretext to dissolve the General Assembly and Constitution of 1967, establishing a civic-military dictatorship in its place. Constitution restored by Julio María Sanguinetti after the Colorado Party's electoral victory in the 1984 general election.
Seyni Kountché Flag of Niger.svg  Niger 1974Suspended the Constitution of 1960 and dissolved the National Assembly after a military coup.
Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 1977–1988Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
France-Albert René Flag of Seychelles (1976-1977).svg  Seychelles 1977Suspended the Constitution after a coup d'état.
Mustafa Ould Salek Flag of Mauritania (1959-2017).svg  Mauritania 1978Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Maurice Bishop Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada 1979–1983The Constitution was suspended after the bloodless ouster of former Prime Minister Eric Gairy, yet some rights protections were simultaneously enacted under The People's Laws 1979. The declared plans for a Constitutional referendum were not carried out prior to Bishop's assassination in October 1983. [3]
Saye Zerbo Flag of Upper Volta.svg  Upper Volta 1980Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Jerry Rawlings Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1981Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Hossain Mohammad Ershad Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 1982–1990Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Efraín Ríos Montt Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 1982Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Lansana Conté Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea 1984Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 1985Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Sitiveni Rabuka Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 1987Suspended the Constitution during the two consecutive coups d'état.
Pierre Buyoya Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi 1987Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Saw Maung
Than Shwe 		Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 1988–2008Suspended the Constitution after crackdown of the 8888 uprising. Ratified a new Constitution in 2008.
Henri Namphy Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti 1988Suspended the Constitution after the June 1988 coup.
Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 1989Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Idriss Déby Flag of Chad.svg  Chad 1990Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Amadou Toumani Touré Flag of Mali.svg  Mali 1991Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Jorge Serrano Elías Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 1993Suspended the Constitution during a constitutional crisis.
Yahya Jammeh Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia 1994–2017Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Johnny Paul Koroma Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone 1997Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Denis Sassou-Nguesso Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Republic of the Congo 1997–2002According to the United States Department of State: "[T]he Sassou regime [...] announced that a constitutional convention would finalize a draft Constitution. However, the eruption in late 1998 of fighting between Sassou's government forces and a pro-Lissouba and pro-Kolélas armed opposition disrupted the transition to democracy. [...] A new Constitution was [...] approved by the people of Congo in a national referendum in January 2002." [4]
Pervez Musharraf Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 1999–2007See 1999 Pakistani coup d'état
Frank Bainimarama Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 2000See 2000 Fijian coup d'état
Pedro Carmona Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).svg  Venezuela 2002See 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt
Gyanendra Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal 2005Suspended the Constitution after a coup d'état.
Sonthi Boonyaratglin Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 2006Suspended the Constitution after a military coup. [5]
Josefa Iloilo Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 2009Suspended the Constitution during a constitutional crisis.
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (headed by Mohamed Hussein Tantawi)Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 2011–2012Suspended the Constitution of 1971 during the 2011 Egyptian revolution. [6]
Prayut Chan-o-cha Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 2014–2019Suspended the Constitution after a military coup.
Transitional Military Council (headed by Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf)Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 2019–presentSuspended the Constitution after a military coup. [7]
Min Aung Hlaing Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 2021–presentSuspended the Constitution after a military coup.

Suspended in part

NameCountryYearReason
Adolf Hitler Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany 1933–1945Pressured the Reichstag into ratifying the Enabling Act allowing legislative authority after the Reichstag fire. Abrogated the Weimar Constitution without officially suspending it.
Omar Ali Saifuddien III Flag of Brunei.svg  Brunei 1962
Idi Amin Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 1971Partially suspended constitution one week after taking power in a coup d'état.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 1975Declared himself president for life.
Indira Gandhi Flag of India.svg  India 1975–1977See Indian Emergency. Disputed: This was done per provision(s) (Article 352) of the Indian Constitution, which then permitted the declaration of Emergency on the grounds of 'internal disturbance'. Later, the reasoning provided has been challenged as being dubious. The grounds for declaration of emergency under Article 352 was amended in 1978 from 'internal disturbance' to 'armed rebellion'.
Alberto Fujimori Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 1992–1993After performing self-coup, Fujimori declared that "those parts of the Constitution that were not compatible with the reorganization of the central government" were suspended. [8]
Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 1989–2019Partially suspended Constitution after seizing power in a coup d'état.
Pedro Sánchez Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2020–2021During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish government declared the state of alarm, which effectively suspended some constitutional rights, like the freedom of movement. Later, it was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Spain. [9] [10]
Kais Saied Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 2021–presentSuspended most of the Constitution after he seized governing powers, dismissed the prime minister and suspended the elected parliament.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "American Revolution | Causes, Battles, Aftermath, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
  2. ↑ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Grey, George". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
  3. ↑ "People's Laws 1979". the Grenada Revolution Online. Archived from the original on 2004-04-26. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
  4. ↑ United States Department of State
  5. ↑ Mydans, Seth; Fuller, Thomas (20 September 2006). "With Premier at U.N., Thai Military Stages Coup". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ Mariam Fam and Maram Mazen. "Egypt Army Dissolves Parliament, Lifts Constitution". Businessweek.[ dead link ]
  7. ↑ Osman, Muhammed; Bearak, Max (11 April 2019). "Sudan's military overthrows president following months of popular protests". Washington Post. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-06-23. Retrieved 2006-10-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ↑ "Spain's top court rules that the coronavirus state of alarm was unconstitutional". elpais.com. 14 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "Court declares Spain's 2nd COVID state of alarm unconstitutional". aa.com.tr. 27 October 2021.
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