"Le colonel a de l'autorité."

Translation: The colonel has authority.

[LexHarding]

The answer "The colonel has the authority" should be accepted as well. For example, if I were a lower ranking officer making demands, I might be rebuked with "The colonel has the authority here, etc etc".

[Sitesurf]

No, because having "some authority" (de l'autorité) is not like having "the authority" (l'autorité).