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Hung parliament
UK //hʌŋ ˈpɑːləmənt//US //hʌŋ ˈpɑrləmənt//
Definition
A parliament in which no party has an overall majority.
In simple words: A situation where no political party has a majority of seats.
Examples
- After the election, the country was left with a hung parliament, leading to challenging negotiations.
- In a hung parliament, parties must often form coalitions to govern effectively.
- The hung parliament resulted in a delay in policy decisions and a sense of uncertainty.
- Voters were concerned about the implications of a hung parliament for future governance.
- Political analysts debated whether a hung parliament would benefit or hinder economic stability.
Usage notes
Used in political contexts, particularly in parliamentary systems. Not suitable for casual conversations.
Grammar pattern
standalone phrase
Memory hint
Think of 'hung' as a tie, like clothes that can't go either way.
Collocations
- deliver a hung parliament
- result in a hung parliament
- negotiate in a hung parliament
Synonyms
- minority government
- coalition government
- divided government
Common mistakes
- Confused with 'majority government', which means one party has more than half the seats.
- Used incorrectly to describe any election outcome, rather than specifically a parliamentary context.
- Assumed to apply to all elections, instead it specifically refers to parliamentary systems.