The president could rule by decree without referring to the constitution or to parliament.

With no legislature that can really challenge him, he rules essentially by decree.

Those were surprising words coming from a man whose father has ruled for 35 years largely by decree.

The government attempted to rule by decree, ignoring its own constitution.

Until the new constitution was written, he ruled by decree.

In the meantime, the government was to rule by decree.

Democracy will obviously be hard to accept for people who once ruled by decree but are now forced to debate every decision.

This act allowed Chávez to rule by decree for one year.

As the opposition continued their boycott, the government decided it had no alternative but to rule by decree.

The powers allow it to rule by decree and declare a state of war.