Multi-party system

<p>In <a href="/facts/Political_science/Gqy5EoRX">political science</a>, a multi-party system is a <a href="/facts/Political_system/FNQSMLxn">political system</a> where more than two meaningfully-distinct <a href="/facts/Political_parties/IAKw7oEK">political parties</a> regularly run for office and win <a href="/facts/Election/oS1sLBlf">elections</a>. Multi-party systems tend to be more common in countries using <a href="/facts/Proportional_representation/69pRhsx9">proportional representation</a> compared to those using <a href="/facts/Winner-take-all_system/laj4JVUI">winner-take-all</a> elections, a result known as <a href="/facts/Duverger%2527s_law/0HE2WJWm">Duverger's law</a>.
</p><p>In these countries, usually no single party has a parliamentary majority by itself (<a href="/facts/Hung_parliament/Ysx7ozkB">hung parliaments</a>). Instead, multiple political parties must negotiate to form a <a href="/facts/Coalition/UBKPe3tX">coalition</a> with a majority of the vote, in order to make substantial changes.
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Multi-party system open-in-new

Multi-party system