Dekret

Dekret, from the Latin decretum meaning “that which is decided,” denotes an official order or proclamation issued by a sovereign, head of state, or government that has binding legal effect. It is typically distinguished from ordinary legislation by not requiring the usual parliamentary approval, though its exact status varies by legal system.

The legal weight and scope of a dekret depend on the constitutional and statutory framework of a country. In some systems a dekret is an executive act that may operate with the force of law, sometimes temporarily or during emergencies. In others, decrees function as provisional or subordinate instruments and can be reviewed or overridden by legislatures or courts. Some jurisdictions require later confirmation by a legislative body or constitutional authority to retain full effect.

Historically, decrees have been used by monarchies, republics, and authoritarians to enact policy quickly or to bypass the regular legislative process. They played a prominent role in various legal orders, such as during transitional periods, crises, or regimes with concentrated executive power. In modern practice, distinctions between decrees, laws, regulations, and orders are often defined by explicit constitutional or statutory rules, including limits, sunset clauses, and judicial review.

The term is also employed in ecclesiastical contexts to refer to formal decrees issued by church authorities, and in international administration to denote binding orders or directives. Across jurisdictions, the defining features of a dekret are its authoritative origin and its binding legal effect, with the precise procedures and limits determined by national law.