divided government
Parties share power
Divided government is when different political parties control different branches or chambers of government—typically when one party holds the presidency while another controls one or both houses of the legislature.
The term is most common in American politics: Divided government makes passing major legislation difficult.
The opposite is unified government, where one party controls both executive and legislative branches.
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- partisanBiased toward one side
- party lineOfficial political position
- CongressU.S. lawmaking body
- legislative branchGovernment's lawmaking arm
stalemate · bipartisan · veto · filibuster · compromise · power sharing · obstruction · legislature · checks · balances · executive branch · opposition · deadlock · majority · minority · swing vote · coalition · impasse
- federalismstates' rights, federal law, federal district, enumerated powers, federal agency
- shared powerpower sharing, dual control, joint sovereignty, dual sovereignty, co-management
- constitutional governmentseparation of powers, checks and balances, executive branch, legislative branch, judicial branch
divided governmentone-party rule
Governance by one faction
trifecta · majority government · party unity · parliamentary majority · supermajority
divided, government, divide, divides, dividing, division, divisions, divisor, divisive