Albania The
Constitution of Albania grants only the
Parliament of Albania the power to declare a state of emergency, based on the advice of the
government. The state of emergency can last for up to 60 days, and may be extended by the parliament for no more than 90 days.
Argentina The
Constitution of Argentina, which has been amended several times, has always allowed for a state of emergency (literally
estado de sitio, "state of siege") to be declared if the constitution or the authorities it creates are endangered by internal unrest or foreign attack. This provision was much abused during dictatorships, with long-lasting states of siege giving the government a free hand to suppress opposition. The
American Convention on Human Rights (Pacto de San José de Costa Rica), adopted in 1969 but ratified by Argentina only in 1984 immediately after the end of the
National Reorganization Process, restricts abuse of the state of emergency by requiring any signatory nation declaring such a state to inform the other signatories of its circumstances and duration, and what rights are affected.
Australia State-of-emergency legislation varies by state in Australia. Concerning emergency management, regions (usually on a
local government area basis) that have been affected by a
natural disaster are the responsibility of the state, until that state declares a State of Emergency, where access to the Federal Emergency Fund becomes available to help respond to and recover from natural disasters. A State of Emergency does not apply to the whole state, but rather
districts or
shires, where essential services may have been disrupted. On 18 March 2020, specifies that the
governor-general of Australia may declare such an emergency if the
Health Minister is satisfied that "a listed human disease is posing a severe and immediate threat, or is causing harm, to human health on a nationally significant scale". This gives the Minister sweeping powers, including imposing restrictions or preventing the movement of people and goods between specified places, and
evacuations. The
Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020 was declared by the Governor-General,
David Hurley, under Section 475 of the Act.
New South Wales In
New South Wales, the
NSW Premier can, pursuant to the
State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989, declare a state of emergency due to an actual or imminent occurrence (such as fire, flood, storm, earthquake, explosion, terrorist act, accident, epidemic or warlike action) which endangers, or threatens to endanger, the safety or health of persons or animals in the State, or destroys or damages, or threatens to destroy or damage, property in the State, or causes a failure of, or a significant disruption to, an essential service or infrastructure. The Premier declared a state of emergency on 11 November 2019 in response to the
2019–2020 New South Wales bushfires. It was the fifth time that a state of emergency had been declared in that state since 2006, and it lasted for seven days. Subsequent declarations were made on 19 December for a further seven days, and again on 2 January 2020. In NSW, the
2019–2020 bushfire season resulted in 26 deaths, destroyed 2,448 homes, and burnt .
Victoria In
Victoria, the
Victorian Premier can declare a
state of emergency under the
Public Safety Preservation Act 1958 if there is a threat to employment, safety or public order. A declared state of emergency allows the Premier to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. The declaration expires after 30 days, and a resolution of either the upper or lower House of
Parliament may revoke it earlier. However, these regulations expire if
Parliament does not agree to continue them within seven days. The Premier (or a delegate) may operate or prohibit operation of any
essential service, such as transport, fuel, power, water or gas, under the
Essential Services Act 1958. If there is an emergency which the Premier, after considering the advice of the relevant Minister and the
Emergency Management Commissioner, is satisfied constitutes or is likely to constitute a significant and widespread danger to life or property in Victoria, the Premier, pursuant to the
Emergency Management Act 1986, may declare a
state of disaster to exist in the whole or in any part or parts of the State. The state of disaster addresses matters beyond public health issues; it is intended to deal with emergencies such as natural disasters, explosions, terrorism or sieges, and it can also be used to deal with 'a plague or an epidemic'. The
Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 gives the
Chief Health Officer extensive powers to take action 'to investigate, eliminate or reduce public health risks', including power to detain, restrict the movement of or prevent entry of any person in the emergency area, "and to give any other direction that the authorized officer considers is reasonably necessary to protect public health."
Brazil The current
constitution of Brazil allows the
president to declare two states, to "preserve or establish peace and order, threatened by grave and imminent institutional instability or severe natural disasters". The first, and less severe state is the state of defense (), while a more severe form is the state of siege ().
Brunei The
1959 constitution allows the
Sultan of Brunei to declare a state of emergency at the national or local level. The sultan may extend the state of emergency after two years or cancel it altogether. Under emergency rule, the sultan can proclaim royal decrees, known as Orders, which have the force of law and can affect wide-ranging domains such as
censorship,
freedom of movement, finance, and modification of legislation. These Orders are then subject to review by the
Legislative Council, which may promulgate them into law as Acts through the normal legislative process. New Orders from the sultan typically override some Acts. Because the rebellion came to be associated with
derhaka (treachery against the Sultan) by the sultanate, it has not lifted the state of emergency nor has it reinstated the elected Legislative Council which was dissolved shortly after emergency rule was proclaimed.
Canada The
federal government of Canada can use the
Emergencies Act to invoke a state of emergency. A national state of emergency automatically expires after 90 days, unless extended by the
Governor-in-Council. There are different levels of emergencies: Public Welfare Emergency, Public Order Emergency, International Emergency, and War Emergency. The Emergencies Act replaced the
War Measures Act in 1988. The War Measures Act was invoked three times in Canadian history, most controversially by Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau during the 1970
October Crisis, and also by Prime Minister
Robert Borden during
World War I (from 1914 to 1920, against threat of Communism during the
Revolutions of 1917–1923) and by Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King during
World War II (from 1942 to 1945, against perceived threat from
Japanese Canadians following
Imperial Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor). Under the current Emergency Act, a state of emergency can also be declared by provincial, territorial, and municipal governments. In addition Canada's federal government and any of its provincial governments can suspend, for five years at a time,
Charter rights to fundamental freedoms in section 2, to legal rights in sections 7 through 14, and to equality rights in section 15 by legislation which invokes
the notwithstanding clause, section 33, and therefore emergency powers can effectively be created even without using the Emergency Act. The Emergencies Act was first invoked by Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau on 14 February 2022 in response to the
Freedom Convoy 2022 protests that occupied the capital,
Ottawa. The
Canadian House of Commons voted to approve the invocation 185–151 with support from the
Liberal Party and the
New Democratic Party and opposition from the
Conservative Party and the
Bloc Québécois. Prime Minister Trudeau previously considered invoking it at the beginning of the
COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, but faced unanimous disapproval from all thirteen
provincial and territorial premiers at the
Council of the Federation.
Egypt States of emergency in Egypt are governed by Law 1958/162. The law grants greater powers to the police, suspends some constitutional rights and legalizes
media censorship and state detention of individuals, who may be tried before military courts created under emergency rule. Since the proclamation of the
republican system in 1953, Egyptians have lived under four successive periods of emergency rule lasting more than a year: 1956–1964, 1967–1980, 1981–2012 and 2017–2021. The emergency law received widespread criticism during the presidency of
Hosni Mubarak, when thousands of civilians were detained under the law according to human rights groups, with estimates of
political prisoners running as high as 30,000.
Ethiopia Article 93 of the
Constitution of Ethiopia provides for a six-month state of emergency under certain conditions.
Finland The
Finnish Government, in cooperation with the
President of Finland, may declare a state of emergency in
Finland, after which it is possible to apply the provisions of the Emergency Powers and Defence Act. A state of emergency may only be declared when all other legislative means have been exhausted. According to an earlier law, passed in 1930, Finland could be declared a
state of war if necessary. Under this law, Finland was declared a state of war on 30 November 1939, after the start of the
Winter War, and the state of war continued until 26 September 1947. The most recent state of emergency was declared during the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the
Marin cabinet invoked a state of emergency in Finland to
alleviate the epidemic. These measures included, among other things,
temporarily isolating the
Uusimaa region from the rest of Finland.
France during a state of emergency, November 2015 Three main provisions concern various kinds of "state of emergency" in France: Article 16 of the
Constitution of 1958 allows, in time of crisis, "extraordinary powers" to be used by the president. Article 36 of the same constitution regulates a "state of siege" (
état de siège). Finally, the Act of 3 April 1955 allows the proclamation, by the Council of Ministers, of a "state of emergency" (''
état d'urgence''). The distinction between article 16 and the 1955 Act concerns mainly the distribution of powers: whereas in article 16, the executive power overturns the regular procedures of the Republic, the 1955 Act permits a twelve-day state of emergency, after which a new law extending the emergency must be voted by the
Parliament of France. These dispositions have been used at various times: three times during the
Algerian War (in 1955, 1958 and 1961), in 1984 during violent pro-independence revolts in
New Caledonia, during the
2005 riots, following the
2015 Paris terrorist attacks, and during the
2024 unrest in New Caledonia.
Germany The
Weimar Constitution (1919–1933) allowed states of emergency under
Article 48 to deal with rebellions. Article 48 was often invoked during the 14-year life of the
Weimar Republic, sometimes for no reason other than to allow the government to act when it was unable to obtain a
parliamentary majority. After 27 February 1933,
Reichstag fire, an attack blamed on the
communists,
Adolf Hitler declared a state of emergency using Article 48, and then had President
Paul von Hindenburg sign the
Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended some of the basic
civil liberties provided by the
Weimar Constitution (such as
habeas corpus,
freedom of expression,
freedom of the speech, the
freedom to assemble or the privacy of communications) for the whole duration of the
Third Reich. On 23 March, the Reichstag enacted the
Enabling Act of 1933 with the required two-thirds majority, which enabled Chancellor Adolf Hitler and his cabinet to enact laws without legislative participation. The Weimar Constitution was never actually repealed by
Nazi Germany; it effectively became inoperable after the passage of the Enabling Act. These two laws effectively ended the Weimar democracy, and paved the way for the Nazification of society, termed
Gleichschaltung, which instituted
totalitarianism. In the postwar
Federal Republic of Germany the
Emergency Acts state that some of the basic constitutional rights of the
Basic Law may be limited in case of a
State of Defence, a state of tension, or an internal state of emergency or disaster (catastrophe). These amendments to the constitution were passed on 30 May 1968, despite fierce opposition by the so-called
extra-parliamentary opposition (see
German student movement for details).
Hong Kong (China) During a state of war or turmoil which threatens national security or unity, and which the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress believes is beyond the control of the local government, the Standing Committee can invoke Article 18 of the
Hong Kong Basic Law and declare a "State of Emergency" in Hong Kong; thus, the
Central People's Government can selectively implement
national laws not normally allowed in Hong Kong. Deployment of troops from the
People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison under the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Garrisoning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" can happen. The
Chief Executive of Hong Kong along with the
Executive Council can prohibit public gatherings, issue
curfew orders, prohibit the movement of vessels or aircraft, delegate authority, and other listed powers, under "Cap. 245 Public Order Ordinance". Although the
People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison may not interfere in internal Hong Kong affairs, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government may invoke Article 14 of the Hong Kong Basic Law and request permission of the Central People's Government to have the garrison assist in "maintenance of public order or disaster relief". implemented since 1922 and last amended by the Legislative Council in 1999, which allow the government to implement the new,
Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation. The new regulation forbid public assembly participants from wearing masks or obscure faces during such events without reasonable excuses. The permitted excuses are: pre-existing medical or health reasons, religious reasons, and the use of a face covering for physical safety while performing an activity connected with their profession or employment. Any person who defies the new regulation may face criminal prosecution. The government's motive in doing so is to end months of social unrest and riots; however, it did not declare a "State of Emergency". The new regulation took effect at 00:00 HKT on 5 October 2019. Offenders risked a maximum of one-year imprisonment or a fine of HK$25,000 (US$3,200). The
High Court of Hong Kong denied an application for a judicial injunction against the anti-mask law the same night, shortly before the new regulation took effect. A subsequent attempt by
pro-democrats to halt the new regulation also failed; however, the court recommended a judicial review at a later date. On 18 November 2019, the High Court ruled the "Cap. 241 Emergency Regulations Ordinance" is "incompatible with the Basic Law"; however, the court "leaves open the question of the constitutionality of the ERO insofar as it relates to any occasion of emergency." The court also held that the ordinance meets the "prescribed by law" requirement. However, the court deemed s3(1)(b), (c), (d) and s5 of the regulation do not meet the proportionality test as they impose restrictions on fundamental rights that go beyond what is necessary in furthering its intended goals. On 22 November 2019, the High Court made the following remark:Nevertheless, we recognize that our Judgment is only a judgment at first instance, and will soon be subject to an appeal to the Court of Appeal. In view of the great public importance of the issues raised in this case, and the highly exceptional circumstances that Hong Kong is currently facing, we consider it right that we should grant a short interim suspension order so that the respondents may have an opportunity to apply to the Court of Appeal, if so advised, for such interim relief as may be appropriate. Accordingly, we shall grant an interim temporary suspension order to postpone the coming into operation of the declarations of invalidity for a period of 7 days up to the end of 29 November 2019, with liberty to apply.On 26 November 2019, the High Court announced hearing for the government appeal against the judgement is on 9 January 2020. On 27 November 2019, the Court of Appeal extended the interim suspension of the judgment until 10 December 2019. On 10 December 2019, the Court of Appeal refused to suspend the "unconstitutional" ruling by the Court of First Instance on the anti-mask regulation. As scheduled, a full hearing will commence on 9 January 2020. On 21 December 2020, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that the prohibition on the use of face coverings at public gatherings, regardless of legality, was constitutional.
Hungary On 25 May 2022, Hungary's governing party approved a constitutional change allowing the government to declare a "state of danger" in the event of an armed conflict or humanitarian crisis in a neighboring country. Soon after, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had been freshly re-elected, invoked this new authority to declare such a state, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. The amendment was passed without any public input or consultation.
India The State of Emergency can be proclaimed by the
President of India when they perceive grave threats to the nation, albeit through the advice of the
Union Council of Ministers. Part XVIII of the
Constitution of India gives the President the power to overrule many provisions, including the ones guaranteeing
fundamental rights to the
citizens of India In India, a state of emergency was declared twice: • Between 26 October 1962 to 10 January 1968 during the
Sino-Indian War—the security of India having been declared "threatened by external aggression". • Between 3 December 1971 and 21 March 1977, originally proclaimed during the
Indo-Pakistani War, and later extended on 25 June 1975, along with the third proclamation—the security of India having been declared "threatened by external aggression" and by "internal disturbances". The first internal State of Emergency, popularly known as
the Emergency, was declared by the then President
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed on the advice of then Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi. The provisions of the Constitution allow the Prime Minister to
rule by decree.
Ireland In
Ireland declaring a state of "national emergency" involves Article 28.3.3° of the 1937
Constitution of Ireland, which states that: In addition, during a "war or armed rebellion",
military tribunals may try civilians, and the
Defence Forces are not bound by
habeas corpus. The
First Amendment of the Constitution of 1939 allows an emergency to be declared during wars in which the state is a
non-belligerent, subject to
resolutions by the houses of the
Oireachtas. By the
2nd Amendment of 1941, an emergency ends, not automatically when the war does, but only by Oireachtas resolutions. The
21st Amendment of 2002 prevents the
reintroduction of capital punishment during an emergency. The first amendment was rushed through the Oireachtas after the outbreak of the
Second World War, in which
the state remained neutral. Immediately after, the required resolution was passed, in turn enabling the passage of the
Emergency Powers Act 1939 (EPA), which granted the
government and its ministers sweeping powers to issue
statutory orders termed "Emergency Powers Orders" (EPOs). (The period in Ireland was and is referred to as "
The Emergency".) The EPA expired in 1946, although some EPOs were continued under the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act 1946 until as late as 1957.
Rationing continued until 1951. The 1939 state of emergency was not formally ended until a 1976 resolution, which also declared a new state of emergency in relation to
the Troubles in
Northern Ireland and in particular the recent assassination of the British ambassador to Ireland,
Christopher Ewart Biggs. The Emergency Powers Act 1976 was then passed to increase the
Garda Síochána powers to arrest, detain, and question those suspected of
offences against the state. President
Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh referred the bill under
Article 26 of the Constitution to the
Supreme Court, which upheld its constitutionality. The referral was condemned by minister
Paddy Donegan as a "thundering disgrace", causing Ó Dálaigh to resign in protest. The 1976 EPA expired after one year, but the state of emergency persisted until 1995, when as part of the
Northern Ireland peace process it was rescinded as a "confidence building measure" to satisfy
physical force republicans after the
Provisional IRA's 1994 ceasefire. The
Offences against the State Act does not require a state of emergency under Article 28.3.3°. Part V of the Act, which provides for a non-jury
Special Criminal Court (SCC), is permitted under Article 38.3.1°. Part V is activated by a declaration from the government that it is "necessary to secure the preservation of public peace and order", and it can be rescinded by vote of
Dáil Éireann. Provision for
internment is similarly activated and rescinded (originally by Part VI of the 1939 act, later by Part II of a 1940 amending act). Parts V and VI were both activated during the Second World War and the IRA's late 1950s
Border Campaign; Part V has been continually active since 1972. Several official reviews of the Constitution and the Offences Against the State Acts have recommended a time limit within which the operation of Article 28.3.3° or Article 38.3.1° must either be explicitly renewed by resolution or else lapse.
Israel The
Israeli state of emergency, as authorized by the
Defence (Emergency) Regulations, is older than the state itself, having been passed under the
British Mandate for Palestine in 1945. The regulations were incorporated into domestic law following the
Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. A repeal was briefly considered in 1967 but was cancelled following the
Six-Day War. The regulations allow Israel, through
its military, to control movements and prosecute suspected terrorists in
occupied territories, and to censor publications that are deemed prejudicial to national defense.
Italy In Italy, the state of emergency established by the legal system is implemented by the
Council of Ministers without a parliamentary vote, under Law n. 225 of 1992 on
Civil Protection. Moreover, the Article 120 of the
Constitution provides that the government can exercise "substitute powers" of local authorities in typically situations: to protect the legal or economic unity of the state, in case of violation of supranational laws and to face a danger for safety and public safety. For other emergency, such as a
war, a parliamentary vote is required to give extraordinary powers to the government. The
Parliament of Italy can also give extraordinary powers to the government in case of health emergency, as it occurred during the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the Parliament approved a state of emergency from 31 January 2020 to 31 December 2021, thanks to what the government can implement administrative acts, without the approval of the Parliament.
Macau (China) The
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress can declare a state of emergency and deploy troops from the
People's Liberation Army Macau Garrison under Article 14 of
Macau's Basic Law on the defence of the
Macau Special Administrative Region. Since the
handover of Macau in 1999, no emergency measures have been enacted. Before 1999, emergency measures were used in the
12-3 incident (1966), with
martial law being invoked and
Portuguese troops involved.
Malaysia In
Malaysia, if the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) is satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part thereof is threatened, he may issue a Proclamation of Emergency making therein a declaration to that effect. A state of emergency was declared by the then-
colonial government of Britain from 1948 until 1960 to deal with an
insurgency of
communists led by
Chin Peng. States of emergency were also declared during the
Konfrontasi in 1962, the
1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis, and the
1977 Kelantan Emergency. When a
race riot broke out on 13 May 1969, a state of emergency was declared. Amid
severe haze on 11 August 2005, a state of emergency was announced for the world's 13th-largest
port,
Port Klang and the
district of
Kuala Selangor after air pollution there reached dangerous levels (defined as a value greater than 500 on the
Air Pollution Index or API). Thierry Rommel, the
European Commission's envoy to Malaysia, told
Reuters by telephone on 13 November 2007 (the last day of his mission) that, "Today, this country still lives under (a state of) emergency." Although not officially proclaimed as a state of emergency, the Emergency Ordinance and the Internal Security Act had allowed detention for years without trial. On 23 June 2013, a state of emergency was declared by Prime Minister
Najib Razak for Muar and Ledang, Johor, due to severe
Southeast Asian haze that pushed the air pollution index to above 750. This was the first time in years that air quality had dipped to a hazardous level, with conditions worsening as dry weather persisted and fires raged in Sumatra. On 12 January 2021, a
nationwide state of emergency was declared by the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah of Pahang in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, at the request of Prime Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin. The state of emergency is planned to end on 1 August 2021. The declaration included the suspension of
parliament and
elections, and came amid
political instability. On 25 February 2021, Yang di-Pertuan Agong announced that the parliament can be convened during the state of emergency.
Maldives A state of emergency was declared on 26 December 2004, following the
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami. The resulting tsunamis caused extensive damage to the country's infrastructure, cutting off communications in large swathes of the nation, decimating islands, and forcing the closure of several resorts. On 5 February 2018, a state of emergency was declared by Maldives's President
Abdulla Yameen for 15 days and ordered security forces into the
Supreme Court of the Maldives and arrested former president
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the
Chief Justice of the Maldives.
New Zealand The
Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 gives the
New Zealand Government and
local-body councils the power to issue a state of emergency, either over the entire country or within a specific
region. This may suspend ordinary work and essential services if need be. States of emergency in New Zealand expire on the commencement of the seventh day after the date of a declaration unless extended. However, the
Minister of Civil Defence or a
local mayor may lift a state of emergency after an initial review of a region's status. • In 1951, the
First National Government issued emergency regulations in response to that year's
waterfront dispute. • On 23 February 2011 at 11.28 am the Minister of Civil Defence
John Carter declared the first state of national emergency (for a civil-defence emergency) in New Zealand's history in response to the 22 February
2011 Christchurch earthquake. A local state of emergency was declared by mayors of
Christchurch City,
Selwyn District and
Waimakariri District following 4 September
2010 Canterbury earthquake. • On 25 March 2020 at 12.21 pm, the Minister for Civil Defense
Peeni Henare declared a state of national emergency in response to the total cases of
COVID-19 reaching 205. Combined with an epidemic notice issued under the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006, the state of emergency declaration enabled authorities to close most premises in New Zealand and enforce a
nationwide lockdown. This also granted special powers to combat
COVID-19, including the power to requisition, close roads, and restrict movement. Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management
Sarah Stuart-Black said these powers sat alongside other powers to ensure essential services could stay up and running. The state of national emergency was renewed four times, to last for a total of five weeks. • On 14 February 2023 at 8:43 am, the Minister for Civil Defense
Kieran McAnulty declared a state of national emergency in response to
Cyclone Gabrielle reaching New Zealand and causing flooding and evacuations.
Nigeria In Nigeria, a state of emergency is usually declared during periods of major civil unrest. In recent years, it has specifically been implemented in reaction to terrorist attacks on Nigerians by the
Islamic terrorist group
Boko Haram. On 14 May 2013,
Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency for the entire northeastern states of
Borno,
Yobe and
Adamawa. A more limited state of emergency had been declared on 31 December 2011 in parts of Yobe, Borno,
Plateau and
Niger states. This earlier declaration included the temporary shutdown of the international borders in those regions. On 26 November 2025, Nigerian President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered the military, police, and intelligence agencies to expand recruitment and immediately deploy thousands of additional personnel. He also urged the National Assembly to initiate a process of reforming state police forces to address the escalating wave of kidnappings and terrorist attacks across the country.
Pakistan In Pakistan, a state of emergency was declared five times in its history: • In 1958 by President
Iskander Mirza • In 1969 by President General
Yahya Khan • In 1977 by President General
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq • In 1998 by President
Muhammad Rafiq Tarar • In
2007 by President General
Pervez Musharraf The first three were regarded as the imposition of direct martial law.
Philippines Several situations call for various levels of government action in the Philippines. The
constitution alludes to these: • State of war: Declared by
Manuel L. Quezon in 1941 after the United States' entry during
World War II and lead to its
occupation by
Japanese forces. •
State of martial law: Six declarations in history (
1896,
1898,
1944–45,
1972–1981,
2009 and
2017–2019) These are not specified in the constitution, but were nevertheless declared at least once: •
State of rebellion: Last declared in 2003 due to the
Oakwood mutiny • State of emergency: Last two declarations were in
2006 and
2016–2023. • State of public health emergency: Last declared in 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. • State of national energy emergency: Last declared in 2026 due to the
2026 Philippine energy crisis caused by the
closure of
Strait of Hormuz. •
State of calamity: Last national declaration was in 2025 due to
Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino).
Local governments are also permitted to declare local states of calamity in their areas hit by
natural and
anthropogenic disasters.
Portugal , to the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic,
Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, requesting Parliament for authorisation under the terms of the Constitution, for a declaration of the state of emergency in the context of the
2020 COVID-19 pandemic The current
Constitution of Portugal empowers the
President of the Republic to declare a state of siege () or a state of emergency () in part or the entirety of the Portuguese territory, only in cases of actual or imminent aggression by foreign forces, serious threats to or disturbances of the democratic constitutional order, or public disasters. Such declarations allow the entities that exercise sovereignty from suspending the exercise of some of the constitutionally defined rights, freedoms and guarantees, so that the public authorities can take the appropriate and strictly necessary measures for the prompt restoration of constitutional normality; the Constitution, however, sets a temporal limit for these states of emergency (no more than fifteen days, even though renewal is possible) and forbids any suspension of the
right to life, to personal integrity,
to personal identity, to civil capacity and citizenship,
the non-retroactivity of criminal law, the
right to a fair trial, or the
freedom of conscience and
religion. nor can the Constitution itself be subject to amendment. Before declaring a state of siege or a state of emergency, the President is required to consult with the
Government and request authorisation to do so from the
Assembly of the Republic. During the
Third Portuguese Republic, the only two times such states of exceptional suppression of constitutional provisions were declared were during the
failed left-wing coup d'état of 25 November 1975 (state of siege, within the confines of the Lisbon Military Region), and during the
COVID-19 pandemic (state of emergency, in the entirety of the Portuguese territory). Within the remit of the basic law of
civil protection services (), the
prime minister can, through a Resolution of the
Council of Ministers and without the need of parliamentary approval or presidential promulgation, decree a situation of calamity (). Lesser exceptional statuses, the situation of contingency () and the situation of alert () in descending order of importance, can also be set in motion by other civil protection authorities or
Mayors. These three situations allow for some extraordinary measures and special restrictions, but not the suspension of constitutional rights and freedoms.
Poland In Poland, the institution of the state of emergency was subsumed under the institution of martial law in the constitutional regulations of 1952–1983. According to the provisions of the Constitution of 1997 (Articles 228 et seq.), A state of emergency may be introduced by the president at the request of the Council of Ministers for a specified period of time, but not longer than 90 days, in part or throughout the territory of the country, if the security of the state, the security of citizens or public order has been threatened. The President may extend this state only once (for no more than 60 days) with the consent of the Sejm. During the state of emergency and within 90 days from its end, the Constitution and electoral regulations may not be changed, and the Sejm may not be dissolved; there are also no national elections or referendums. In the event of the expiry of the term of office of the President, the Sejm and the Senate, or local self-government bodies, they are appropriately extended.
Romania Special zone of public safety (
Zonă specială de siguranță publică in Romanian): Administrative, can be enforced by local police. This implies the installation of road checkpoints and a higher number of police and
gendarmes/riot police patrolling the area. There is also a ban that restricts the right to travel for people in the area; any vehicle and individual transiting the zone are subject to screening. The last instance in which the
special zone of public safety was enforced was on 8 December 2013, in
Pungești, Vaslui following
civil unrest in Pungești from
Chevron's plans to begin exploring
shale-gas in the village. According to police officials, the special security zone will be maintained as long as there is conflict in the area that poses a threat to Chevron's operations. On 24 March 2020, a 12-month state of emergency was declared by (Rtd) Brigadier
Julius Madaa Bio due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Singapore Article 150(1) of the Constitution of Singapore allows the President of Singapore to declare a state of emergency in the event of a security or economic threat and must notify Parliament as soon as practicable under Article 150(3). A state of emergency would last for six months under Article 150(6). With the repeal of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Act (Chapter 90) in 2021, only the powers granted by the Constitution are allowed to be exercised in an event of an emergency.
Special Emergency Powers (1964-2021) When Singapore
was part of Malaysia, the Federation of Malaysia declared a State of Emergency during the
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. The
Malaysian Parliament subsequently passed the Emergency (Essential Powers) Act 1964, which conferred upon the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) special powers during a State of Emergency, such as creating offenses and prescribing penalties, among others. When Singapore gained independence in 1965, that Emergency Act was inherited by Singapore, conferring those powers on the
President of Singapore instead.
History of Emergency In response to the
Malayan Communist Party (MCP)'s murder of three British planters in
Perak on 16 June 1948,
Sir Edward Gent, the
British High Commissioner of Malaya declared a State of Emergency in the whole of Perak and
Johore. This emergency was extended to the whole of
Malaya on the 18 June, and six days later, Singapore came under a State of Emergency. The emergency officially ended on 31 July 1960, 12 years after its declaration, when Singapore was a self-governing state rather than a colony, where it had been imposed in the first place. The second time Singapore experienced a State of Emergency was in 1964, when Indonesian commandos were airdropped into Malaysian territories on 1 and 2 September that year, at the height of the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. On 3 September, the King of Malaysia,
Syed Putra Jamalullail of Perlis, declared a State of Emergency throughout Malaysia (in which Singapore was then part of) under the Article 150 of the
Federal Constitution of Malaysia. On 10 and 11 September, the
Dewan Rakyat and
Dewan Negara of the Malaysian Parliament respectively passed the Emergency (Essential Powers) Act 1964, which became law on 18 September and conferred upon the King with special powers. This Act would then be inherited by Singapore upon its independence and became known as the Emergency (Essential Powers) Act (Chapter 90). and other targeted legislation to deal with security threats.
South Africa States of emergency in
South Africa are governed by section 37 of the
Constitution and by the
State of Emergency Act, 1997. The
president may declare a state of emergency only when "the life of the nation is threatened by war, invasion, general insurrection, disorder, natural disaster or other public emergency" and if the ordinary laws and government powers are not sufficient to restore peace and order. The declaration is made by
proclamation in the
Government Gazette and may only apply from the time of publication, not retroactively. It can only continue for 21 days unless the
National Assembly grants an extension, which may be for up to 3 months at a time. The
High Courts have the power, subject to confirmation by the
Constitutional Court, to determine the validity of the declaration of a state of emergency. During a state of emergency, the
President of South Africa has the power to make emergency regulations "necessary or expedient" to restore peace and order and end the emergency. This power can be delegated to other authorities. Emergency measures can violate the
Bill of Rights, but only to a limited extent. Some rights are inviolable, including, amongst others, the rights to life and to human dignity; the prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, or religion; the prohibition of torture or inhumane punishment; and the right of accused people to a fair trial. The emergency must strictly require that any violation of a constitutional right occur. Emergency measures may not indemnify the government or individuals for illegal actions. They may impose criminal penalties, but not exceeding three years' imprisonment. They may not require military service beyond what is required by the ordinary laws governing the defence force. An emergency measure may be disapproved by the National Assembly, in which case it lapses, and no emergency measure may interfere with the elections, powers, or sittings of
Parliament or the
provincial legislatures. The courts have the power to determine the validity of any emergency measure. The constitution places strict limits on any
detention without trial during a state of emergency. A friend or family member of the detainee must be informed, and the name and place of detention must be published in the
Government Gazette. The detainee must have access to a doctor and a legal representative. The detainee must be brought before a court within 10 days to determine whether the detention is necessary; if not released, the court may order repeated review every 10 days. At the court review, the detainee must be allowed legal representation and to appear in person. The provisions on detention without trial do not apply to
prisoners of war in an international conflict; instead, they must be treated in accordance with the
Geneva Conventions and other international law.
Spain In Spain, there are three degrees of state of emergency (
estado de emergencia in Spanish):
alarma (alarm or alert),
excepción (exception[al circumstance]), and
sitio (siege). They are named by the
constitution, which limits which rights may be suspended, but regulated by the "Ley Orgánica 4/1981" (
Organic Law). On 4 December 2010, the first state of alert was declared following the
air traffic controllers strike. It was the first time since the
Spanish transition to democracy that a state of emergency was declared. The second state of alert was declared on 14 March 2020 due to the
coronavirus pandemic. The third state of alert was declared before the end of October 2020 given the difficulties to control the spread of said pandemic.
Sri Lanka In Sri Lanka, the
president can proclaim emergency regulations under the
Public Security Ordinance in the
constitution to preserve public security and public order; suppression of
mutiny,
riot or
civil commotion; or maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community. These regulations last for one month unless confirmed otherwise by
Parliament.
Switzerland According to Art. 185 of the
Swiss Federal Constitution The
Federal Council (Bundesrat) can call up in their own competence military personnel of a maximum of 4000
militia for three weeks to safeguard inner or outer security (called Federal Intervention or Federal Execution, respectively). A larger number of soldiers or of a longer duration is subject to
parliamentary decision. For deployments within Switzerland, the principle of subsidiarity applies: as a first step, unrest must be addressed with the aid of cantonal police units.
Syria An emergency prevailed in
Syria from 1963, following the
Ba'athist coup d'état, to 2011. Originally predicated on the
conflict with Israel, the emergency acted to centralize authority in the presidency and the national security apparatus while silencing public dissent. The emergency was terminated in response to protests that preceded the
Syrian Civil War. Under the
2012 constitution, the
president may pass an emergency decree with a 2/3 concurrence of his ministers, provided that he presents it to the
People's Assembly for constitutional review.
Trinidad and Tobago Sections 7 through 12 of the Constitution set out the legal basis for declaring that a state of emergency exists. The
president, under the advice of the
prime minister, may proclaim that a "state of public emergency" exists if: • "A public emergency has arisen as a result of the imminence of a state of war between Trinidad and Tobago and a foreign state, • A public emergency has arisen as a result of the occurrence of any earthquake, hurricane, flood, fire, outbreak of pestilence or of infectious disease, or other calamity whether similar to the foregoing or not, • Action has been taken, or is immediately threatened, by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger the public safety or to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community of supplies or services essential to life." (ss. 8 (2)). Upon declaring a state of emergency, the President may issue regulations to address the situation at hand. The regulations can even infringe upon the rights enshrined within sections 4 and 5 of the Constitution (e.g., freedom of speech, freedom of movement, etc.) but only to such extent as such constitutional encroachments are "reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists during that period." (ss. 7 (3)). Once the President has declared a state of emergency, the initial duration of the proclamation is 15 days, unless revoked sooner. The state of emergency can then be extended for up to three months by a simple majority vote of the
House of Representatives. It can be extended by a further three months by a three-fifths majority vote of the House of Representatives and must also be passed in the
Senate. A state of emergency was declared in 1970, during the
Black Power Revolution, by then-Prime Minister
Eric Williams. During the
attempted state coup by the
Jamaat al Muslimeen against the NAR government of the then Prime Minister
A. N. R. Robinson in 1990, a state of emergency was declared during the coup attempt and for a period after the coup. On 4 August 1995, a state of emergency was declared to remove the
Speaker of the House Occah Seapaul by Prime Minister
Patrick Manning during a constitutional crisis. The government had attempted to remove the speaker via a no-confidence motion, which failed. The state of emergency was used to remove the speaker using the emergency powers granted. On 22 August 2011 at 8:00 pm, Prime Minister
Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced a state of emergency in an attempt to crack down on the trafficking of illegal drugs and firearms, in addition to gangs. The decision of the President,
George Maxwell Richards, to proclaim the state of emergency was debated in
the country's Parliament as required by the Constitution on 2 September 2011 and passed by the required simple majority of the House of Representatives. On 4 September, the Parliament extended the state of emergency for a further three months. It ended in December 2011. On 15 May 2021 at 2:50 pm, Prime Minister
Keith Rowley declared a state of emergency following a mass surge in the number of deaths and COVID-19 infections, no
hospital beds being available and a lack of
COVID-19 vaccines in dealing with a rapid and deadly spread of the
COVID-19 pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago, noted as being one of the worst in the world. On 24 August, the Parliament extended the state of emergency for a further three months. On 30 December 2024, a state of emergency was declared after a spike in gang violence, which killed 6 people in the previous 2 days.
Turkey Since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the
military conducted three
''coups d'état'' and announced
martial law. Martial law between 1978 and 1983 was replaced by a state of emergency that lasted until November 2002. The latest state of emergency was declared by President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 20 July 2016 following a
failed coup attempt on 15 July 2016 by a faction of the country's armed forces. It was lifted on 18 July 2018.
United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, only the
British Sovereign, on the advice of the
Privy Council, or a
Minister of the Crown in exceptional circumstances, has the power to introduce emergency regulations under the
Civil Contingencies Act 2004, in case of an emergency, broadly defined as war or attack by a foreign power,
terrorism which poses a threat of serious damage to the security of the UK, or events which threaten serious damage to human welfare or the environment of a place in the UK. The duration of these regulations is limited to thirty days, but may be extended by
Parliament. A state of emergency was last invoked in 1974 by Prime Minister
Edward Heath in response to increasing
industrial action. The act grants wide-ranging powers to central and local government in the event of an emergency. It allows the modification of
primary legislation by emergency regulation, except for the
Human Rights Act 1998 and Part 2 of the
Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
United States The
United States Constitution implicitly provides some emergency powers in the article about the executive power: •
Congress may authorize the government to call forth the militia to execute the laws, suppress an insurrection, or repel an invasion. • Congress may authorize the government to suspend consideration of writs of
habeas corpus "when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it." •
Felony charges may be brought without presentment or
grand jury indictment in cases arising "in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger." • A
state government may engage in war without Congress's approval if "actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay." Aside from these, many provisions of law exist in various jurisdictions, which take effect only upon an executive declaration of emergency; some 500 federal laws take effect upon a presidential declaration of emergency. The
National Emergencies Act regulates this process at the federal level. It requires the
President to identify the provisions activated specifically and to renew the declaration annually to prevent an arbitrarily broad or open-ended emergency. Presidents have occasionally taken action justified as necessary or prudent in a state of emergency, only to have it struck down in court as unconstitutional. A state
governor or local
mayor may declare a state of emergency within their
jurisdiction. This is common at the state level in response to natural disasters. The
Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains a system of assets, personnel, and training to respond to such incidents. For example, on 10 December 2015,
Washington state Governor
Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency due to flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains. The 1977
International Emergency Economic Powers Act allows the government to freeze assets, limit trade, and confiscate property in response to an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the United States that originates substantially outside of it. As of 2015, more than twenty emergencies under the IEEPA remain active on various subjects, the oldest of which was declared in 1979 regarding the government of
Iran. Another ongoing national emergency, declared after the
September 11 attacks, authorizes the president to retain or reactivate military personnel beyond their normal term of service. In 2020, it was common for states to enact a state of emergency due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Because the
Defense Resources Act contains numerous Titles or individual national emergency laws, it provides an important framework. In American film and popular culture, American views on what to expect during national emergencies can be shaped by prominent
Cold War television programs such as
The Day After, which aired on
ABC in November 1983. Officials under President
Ronald Reagan briefed Congress on the Act in 1983. The briefing explained several emergency actions Congress might approve in a grave national crisis such as the nuclear war scare depicted in
The Day After. Upon approval by Congress, the Act would have authorized the president to issue orders putting forth wage and price controls, censorship, and the commandeering of private property. The present legal status of these matters is not clear.
Presidential Emergency Action Documents reviews issues concerning national emergencies in the United States as well as legal and constitutional concerns. In October 2025, officials in Los Angeles County announced a state of emergency due to the continuous federal crackdown on immigrants, aiming to offer financial support to this population. Many immigrants have experienced delays in their rent payments due to these crackdowns and have been denied rent assistance and other financial services. The Trump administration intensified its enforcement actions against immigrants in Los Angeles during the summer of 2025.
Venezuela == Examples ==