self-coup

[ self-koo ]

noun

1. a coup d'état performed by the current, legitimate government or a duly elected head of state to retain or extend control over government, through an additional term, an extension of term, an expansion of executive power, the dismantling of other government branches, or the declaration that an election won by an opponent is illegitimate.

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-coup¹

First recorded in 1995–2000; translation of Spanish autogolpe, equivalent to auto- ¹( def ) + golpe “coup”