Two-party systems

Definition

A political system in which two major political parties dominate the electoral landscape and consistently win a majority of seats in the legislature. This often leads to limited choices for voters and can result in a lack of representation for minority parties.

Related terms

Multi-party systems: A political system where multiple political parties have a reasonable chance of winning elections and gaining representation in the legislature.

Duverger's Law: A theory that suggests that winner-take-all electoral systems tend to lead to two-party systems, while proportional representation systems tend to lead to multi-party systems.

Bipartisanship: Cooperation or agreement between the two major political parties, typically on issues that transcend partisan lines.