Political party

A political party is an organized group that seeks political power by nominating candidates, contesting elections, and promoting a shared program or set of policies.

Party platform: A political party’s published statement of principles, priorities, and proposed policies. It turns a party’s shared program into a public set of commitments.
Electoral system: The rules that translate votes into elected offices or legislative seats. Electoral rules influence how many parties can compete and win representation.
Whig Party: A British political grouping that developed in the late seventeenth century and later became a formal party. Its development illustrates the emergence of organized parliamentary party groupings.
One-party state: A political system in which one party holds a legal or practical monopoly on political power. It contrasts with systems where parties compete openly for government.
Candidate selection: The process by which a political party chooses people to run for public office. Selecting nominees determines who carries the party label into elections.
Coalition government: A government formed by multiple political parties that cooperate to command legislative support. Parties may join forces when no single party can govern alone.
Tory Party: A British political grouping that developed in the late seventeenth century and became a predecessor of the modern Conservative Party. Its long evolution shows how political groupings can become durable parties.
Two-party system: A party system in which two major parties dominate electoral competition and government formation. It is a common pattern of party competition, not a feature of every democracy.
Primary election: An election in which voters help choose a political party’s nominees for public office. Primaries are one common method parties use to select candidates.
Parliamentary system: A system of government in which the executive depends on the confidence of the legislature. Party strength in parliament often determines who forms and sustains the government.

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