Third party (politics)
Encyclopedia
In a two-party system
of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.
For instance, in the United Kingdom
a third party is a national political party other than the Conservatives
and Labour
which has a member(s) in the House of Commons
. It is currently generally used there for the Liberal Democrats. While in Scotland the dominant parliamentary party is currently the Scottish National Party
with the Labour party the next largest party and the Conservative party third. So it would follow that in different countries within the UK there are many different third parties.
In the United States of America, there have been numerous "third parties"
.
The term "third parties" is used mostly in countries with first past the post electoral systems, as those systems tend to create a two-party system
, so that successful smaller parties are rare.
Countries using proportional representation
give little advantage to the largest two parties, so they tend to elect many parties. Therefore, in those countries, three, four, or more political parties are usually elected to legislatures. Consequently, coalitions, including some smaller parties, are common in the legislatures of such countries. The public in those countries tends to see all parties as being in the same category, as opposed to the idea in two-party countries that there are major parties, which are "serious", and there are other parties, which are to be ignored, scorned, or blamed.
In some categorizations, a party needs to have a certain level of success to be considered a third party. Smaller parties that win only a very small share of the vote and no seats in the legislature often are termed minor or fringe parties.
politics, a third party is a political party other than the Democrats or Republicans. The term "minor party
" is also used in a similar manner. Such political parties rarely win legislative elections, in large part, because proportional representation
is rarely used, and Congress has banned it for federal elections since 1967.
A similar situation occurs with the presidential Electoral College, where Electoral College votes are often given the candidate who receives a plurality of the vote, thus bringing up accusations that certain third party presidential candidates are "spoiling" the election or splitting up segments of voters.
Among the other challenges that third parties face in the United States, is the frequent exclusion from major debates and media coverage, denial of ballot access
and the difficulty in raising campaign contributions large enough to compete with the two major political parties.
In the Westminster system
there is also the possibility of minority government
s, which can give smaller parties strength disproportional to their support. Examples include the Irish Parliamentary Party
which pushed for Home Rule in Ireland in the late Nineteenth Century.
Challenging parties also usually appeal for votes on the basis that they will try to change the voting system to make it more competitive for all parties.
Grass Roots Organizations
Two-party system
A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...
of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.
For instance, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
a third party is a national political party other than the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
which has a member(s) in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. It is currently generally used there for the Liberal Democrats. While in Scotland the dominant parliamentary party is currently the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
with the Labour party the next largest party and the Conservative party third. So it would follow that in different countries within the UK there are many different third parties.
In the United States of America, there have been numerous "third parties"
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
.
The term "third parties" is used mostly in countries with first past the post electoral systems, as those systems tend to create a two-party system
Two-party system
A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...
, so that successful smaller parties are rare.
Countries using proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
give little advantage to the largest two parties, so they tend to elect many parties. Therefore, in those countries, three, four, or more political parties are usually elected to legislatures. Consequently, coalitions, including some smaller parties, are common in the legislatures of such countries. The public in those countries tends to see all parties as being in the same category, as opposed to the idea in two-party countries that there are major parties, which are "serious", and there are other parties, which are to be ignored, scorned, or blamed.
In some categorizations, a party needs to have a certain level of success to be considered a third party. Smaller parties that win only a very small share of the vote and no seats in the legislature often are termed minor or fringe parties.
United States
In U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politics, a third party is a political party other than the Democrats or Republicans. The term "minor party
Minor party
Minor party is a political party that play a smaller role than a major party in a country's politics and elections. The difference between minor and major parties can be so big that the membership total, donations, and the candidates that they are able to produce or attract are very distinct...
" is also used in a similar manner. Such political parties rarely win legislative elections, in large part, because proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
is rarely used, and Congress has banned it for federal elections since 1967.
A similar situation occurs with the presidential Electoral College, where Electoral College votes are often given the candidate who receives a plurality of the vote, thus bringing up accusations that certain third party presidential candidates are "spoiling" the election or splitting up segments of voters.
Among the other challenges that third parties face in the United States, is the frequent exclusion from major debates and media coverage, denial of ballot access
Ballot access
Ballot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
and the difficulty in raising campaign contributions large enough to compete with the two major political parties.
Parliamentary two-party systems
Third parties usually have little chance of forming a government or winning the position of head of government. Nevertheless, there are many reasons for third parties to compete. The opportunity of a national election means that attention will be paid to the positions of third parties. The larger parties might be forced to respond and adapt to their challenges, and often the larger parties copy ideas from them. Most third parties try to build their support to become one of the dominant parties, as the Labour Party in Britain did.In the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
there is also the possibility of minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
s, which can give smaller parties strength disproportional to their support. Examples include the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
which pushed for Home Rule in Ireland in the late Nineteenth Century.
Challenging parties also usually appeal for votes on the basis that they will try to change the voting system to make it more competitive for all parties.
See also
- Third party (Canada)Third party (Canada)In Canada, a third party usually refers to a relatively small federal or provincial political party that is not usually considered to have a realistic chance of forming a government, but has representation in the federal House of Commons or the provincial legislature...
- Third party (United States)Third party (United States)The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
- Green party
- Libertarian partyLibertarian PartyLibertarian Party can refer to several libertarian political parties, including:*Libertarian Party *Libertarian Party of Canada*United Kingdom Libertarian Party*Libertarian Party of Russia*Movimiento Libertario of Costa Rica...
- Constitution partyConstitution Party (United States)The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
- Ballot accessBallot accessBallot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
- Nomination rulesNomination rulesNomination rules in elections regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is entitled to stand for election. The criteria to stand as a candidate depends on the individual legal system, however they may include the age of a candidate, citizenship, endorsement by a political...
- Electoral College (United States)
- Proportional representationProportional representationProportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
- Voting rights
Grass Roots Organizations