grand coalition
Rival parties united
A grand coalition is a government formed by the two largest political parties that would normally oppose each other.
The arrangement typically occurs when neither major party can form a majority with smaller allies, forcing traditional rivals to share power: Germany has been governed by grand coalitions several times since World War II.
The term can extend to any alliance of unlikely partners joining forces on a major issue.
- power-sharingJointly held governmental authority
- junior partnerSubordinate business partner
- parliamentary systemLegislature-based executive governance
- supermajorityVote exceeding simple majority
- working majorityVotes enough to govern
compromise · strange bedfellows · consensus-building · negotiation · smoke-filled room · legislative agenda · executive authority · Angela Merkel · party discipline · German · proportional representation · bipartisan · Weimar · Merkel · centrist · federalism · bicameral legislature · mandate
- German PoliticsBundesrat, CSU, Nazi Party, Greens, federal republic
- alliancesalliance, allies, ally, NATO alliance, Triple Entente
- Kenya historyindependence struggle, British colonialism, colonial rule, 1963, December 12
- shared powerpower sharing, dual control, joint sovereignty, dual sovereignty, co-management
- West GermanyBonn, Federal Republic, Bundestag, Bundesrat, Deutsche Mark
- coalitionsjunior partner, senior partner, power sharing, unity government, united front
grand coalitionone-party rule
Governance by one faction
majority government · minority government · one-party state · absolute majority
grand coalitionminority government
Governing party holding fewer seats
hung parliament · political polarization · divided government · caretaker government