A state of emergency is a declaration by the government of a country that normal functions and civil rights are suspended due to some kind of crisis. It entails the activation of emergency response plans and protocols, which may include the deployment of additional emergency services, such as police and medical personnel. This enables the government to address urgent and dangerous situations more swiftly and efficiently.
In a charitable interpretation, governments invoke states of emergency to combat natural disasters and man-made dangers such as terrorist attacks. They may also do so to prevent or limit social and economic damage caused by the crisis. However, there are many reasons why a government could call a state of emergency that would not be so generous: it might wish to use the extra powers attached to a state of emergency in its own favor, for example to weaken political opposition.
Constitutional provisions for a state of emergency vary widely across countries. Some are highly prescriptive and restrict the conditions under which a state of emergency may be declared. Others, such as the ones of Chile and Estonia, provide for different levels of emergency with corresponding powers and conditionality. Yet, many other states have no constitutional safeguards at all.
Despite the potential for abuse, some governments have chosen to manage crises without invoking a state of emergency. This can be for one of two reasons: either the crisis did not constitute an ’emergency’ under existing provisions; or there was enough legal and constitutional power available to deal with the crisis.
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