political coalition
Parties working together
A political coalition is an alliance of parties, factions, or interest groups that cooperate to achieve shared goals—typically winning elections or governing.
Coalition governments form when no single party holds a majority: The center-left parties formed a coalition to block the nationalist candidate.
Coalitions are inherently fragile, held together by mutual benefit rather than unified ideology.
- power-sharingJointly held governmental authority
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- horse tradingShrewd, give-and-take negotiation
- conflict resolutionSettling disputes between parties
- agreementShared position between parties
back room deal · trust-building · compromise · dissent · social change · membership · alliance · united front · organization · platform · bargaining · partnership · strange bedfellows · common ground · coordination · mediation · big tent · party unity
political coalitionsingle-party rule
Governance without competing factions
one-party state · autocracy · dictatorship · absolute monarchy · majority government
political coalitionpolitical opposition
Parties opposing current government
political rivalry · partisan conflict · factionalism · divided government · political polarization
political coalitionbalkanization
Division into hostile units
splinter groups · hung parliament · gridlock · factionalism · dissolution
political, politics, politic, politician, politicians, politically, politicize, politicized, politicization