autocoup

An autocoup, also called an auto coup d'état, is a coup carried out by a country's head of state or government against its own constitutional order. It differs from a traditional coup in which competing actors seize power from the incumbent regime; in an autocoup, the leader uses state power and legal pretexts to neutralize the legislature, judiciary, or other institutions and extend personal rule.

Common mechanisms include dissolving or suspending the legislature, suspending the constitution or ruling by decree, declaring a state of emergency, and replacing or sidelining opposition leaders and judges. Controlling the military, security services, and media is often part of the strategy, as is postponement or manipulation of elections. Proponents typically frame the move as necessary to address a crisis or preserve national stability, but the outcome is usually increased executive concentration of power and weakened checks and balances.

Consequences vary but frequently include domestic protests, political isolation abroad, economic instability, and a slide toward authoritarian governance. In many cases, autocoups provoke long-term constitutional deadlock, constitutional reform under coercive conditions, or eventual unrest that challenges the regime.

Notable examples are relatively rare but widely studied. The 1992 self-coup by Peru’s President Alberto Fujimori—dissolving Congress, disbanding the judiciary, and ruling by decree before drafting a new constitution—is often cited as a classic case. The term remains a subject of debate among scholars, with some arguing that certain actions constitute a constitutional change rather than an outright coup.