In France, the executive branch of government (the President and the Prime Minister) have the power to pass laws without the approval of the legislature (the National Assembly and the Senate). This power, known as the Ordinance Power, is used in situations where immediate action is required but the normal legislative process is not feasible.
The Ordinance Power allows the executive branch to pass laws in the form of ordinances. An ordinance must be approved by at least one member of the cabinet and countersigned by the Prime Minister. The ordinance can then be published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
Once an ordinance is enacted, it has the same legal force as any other law, but it can only be in force for a limited period of time. After the ordinance has expired, the legislature can either pass the law permanently or reject it. If the legislature rejects the law, the ordinance will cease to exist.