minor party

noun

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Definition of minor party

: a political party whose electoral strength is so small as to prevent its gaining control of a government except in rare and exceptional circumstances

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Recent Examples of minor party from the Web

The deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, who is the leader of a minor party, is acting prime minister in her absence.

— New York Times, "New Zealand’s Leader, Jacinda Ardern, Introduces Baby Daughter," 23 June 2018
There are also another 35,034 voters unaffiliated with either major party and another 800 or so belonging to one of the minor parties.

— The Aegis, "Your duty calls [Editorial]," 22 June 2018
Maha Kamel and her sister, both under 30, voted for a candidate on a minor party list.

— philip issa, Fox News, "At Iraq's polls, many voters seek patronage and jobs," 13 May 2018
That did not come to pass — only 1.4 percent of active voters in the state are registered with minor parties — but this year’s crowded gubernatorial field does include two independent candidates.

— matthew kauffman, courant.com, "Former Lt. Gov. Eunice Groark Dies at 80," 9 May 2018
But the current system based on the raw vote has almost erased the names of minor parties come November.

— john myers, latimes.com, "California's free-for-all primary election rules could surprise everyone in 2018 ... again," 19 Mar. 2018
Thanks to a redistribution of electoral boundaries, a series of outsider minor parties are threatening to break the stranglehold of Australia's two major parties.

— royce kurmelovs, CNN, "Political mavericks shake South Australia out of its two-party torpor," 15 Mar. 2018
The decision about who would govern was left to Mr. Peters, the leader of the populist minor party, New Zealand First, which held the balance of power.

— charlotte graham, New York Times, "New Zealand’s Leader, Jacinda Ardern, Says She Is Pregnant," 18 Jan. 2018
Ramos-Horta has declared support for the Fretilin party, which is loosely grouped with a minor party in the May 12 election against a formal alliance of three parties including that of independence hero Xanana Gusmao.

— oki raimundos, Fox News, "Nobel laureate blasts East Timor's failure against poverty," 16 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'minor party.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.