The National Assembly (AN) approved Thursday afternoon unanimously in a first session a law empowering President Hugo Chávez to rule by decree for an 18-month term.

The second session will be held next Thursday. Then, the enabling law will be finally approved.

Chávez was authorized to rulemaking, said AN chair Cilia Flores after the deputies' favoring vote of the ruler's petition, AFP quoted.

The enabling law gives the president the title to decree ordinary laws -for which a simple majority is needed- and organic laws -based on special majority- as established in 2001 by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ).

"The National Assembly welcomes the enabling law and backs the leader Hugo Chávez," Flores hailed.