The Juridical Coup D’État and the Problem of Authority

Abstract

The paper focuses on authority problems created by what I call the "juridical coup d’état." After defining the concept, I discuss some of the theoretical problems that would necessarily be posed if an instance of a juridical coup d’état could, in fact, be identified. I then describe three such instances, summarize the main systemic consequences for each case (Germany, France, the EU), and provide illustrations of the authority problems produced. I conclude by addressing theoretical issues in light of the empirics.