What does it mean when a country has a coup?

A coup d’état (/ˌkuːdeɪˈtɑː/ ( listen); French for “blow of state”), usually shortened to coup, (also known as an overthrow) is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal, unconstitutional seizure of power by a political faction, military, or a dictator.

What is the overthrowing of a government called?

coup d’état, also called coup, the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group.

What it means to stage a coup?

an occasion when a group of people takes control of a country, usually by means of military force. a military/army coup: There has been a series of military coups since the country gained independence. stage/lead/mount a coup: A band of young disillusioned officers staged a coup.

What is behind the coup in Myanmar?

The coup returned the country to full military rule after a short span of quasi-democracy that began in 2011, when the military, which had been in power since 1962, implemented parliamentary elections and other reforms. In the weeks since the coup, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s ousted civilian leader, has faced charges in a secret court.

Why was there a coup in South Africa?

The possibility of the coup emerged after the military, which had tried in the country’s Supreme Court to argue that the election results were fraudulent, threatened to “take action” and surrounded the houses of Parliament with soldiers.

What happened in the coup in Egypt?

Many of those killed have been young protesters, their lives ended with a single gunshot to the head. The coup returned the country to full military rule after a short span of quasi-democracy that began in 2011, when the military, which had been in power since 1962, implemented parliamentary elections and other reforms.

What are the protests over the coup in Thailand?

The protests over the coup have been the largest since the so-called Saffron Revolution in 2007, when thousands of monks rose up against the military regime. Protesters include teachers, lawyers, students, bank officers and government workers. The military has imposed restrictions, including curfews and limits to gatherings.