Demarche

/dəˈmɑːrʃ/ noun

Definition

A diplomatic move, petition, or course of action taken by a government; a formal approach or proceeding in diplomacy.

Etymology

From French 'démarche,' from Old French demarcher (to proceed, go forward). De- + marcher (to march). The word entered English in the 1600s to describe diplomatic maneuvers.

Kelly Says

When a country files a demarche, it's their official way of saying 'we formally disagree with you'—it's diplomacy's equivalent of a registered complaint letter, with centuries of protocol built in.

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