Hung parliament

A hung parliament is a term used in legislatures primarily under the Westminster system (typically employing majoritarian electoral systems) to describe a situation in which no single political party or pre-existing coalition (also known as an alliance or bloc) has an absolute majority of legislators (commonly known as members or seats) in a parliament or other legislature. This situation is also known as a balanced parliament,[1][2] or as a parliament under no overall control (NOC).[3][4][5] A hung parliament may result in a coalition government, a minority government, or a snap election if a government cannot be formed.

In multi-party systems, particularly where proportional representation is employed, it is rare for a single party to hold a majority of the seats, and likewise rare for one party to form government on its own (i.e. coalition government is the norm). Consequently, the concept of a "hung parliament" is largely irrelevant in these systems, as a legislature without a single-party majority is the norm.

In the Westminster system, in the absence of a clear majority, no party or coalition has an automatic constitutional entitlement to form government. This can result in the formation of a coalition government of parties which can together command a majority, or the formation of a minority government, where the ruling party receives confidence and supply from smaller parties or independent legislators. Alternatively, in some systems (notably in Canada), a minority government may take office without any majority at all, and work with other parties on a case-by-case basis. If none of these solutions prove workable, the head of state may dissolve parliament, triggering a snap election.

  1. ^ "Balanced parliament: No need to rush". The Guardian. London. 5 May 2010.
  2. ^ "SNP puts case for hung parliament". BBC News. 20 April 2010.
  3. ^ "Q+A – What happens if no party gets a majority in UK election?". Reuters. 7 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  4. ^ Paun, Akash (4 December 2009). "Hung up on 'no overall control'". The Guardian. London.
  5. ^ "Welcome to the era of no overall control". New Statesman. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2013.