Third party (politics) facts for kids

In politics, a third party is a political group that is not one of the two biggest and most powerful parties. This term is often used in countries where two main parties usually win most elections. For example, in the United States, the two main parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Any other party is called a third party.

In the United Kingdom, the main parties are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. Other parties, like the Liberal Democrats, are considered third parties if they have members in the House of Commons.

Why Third Parties Are Important

Even if third parties don't often win big elections, they are still very important. They bring new ideas and different viewpoints to the political discussion.

Influencing Main Parties

One big reason third parties run is to share their ideas. The two main parties often listen to these ideas. Sometimes, if an idea from a third party becomes popular, the bigger parties might even start using it themselves. This means third parties can change how the country is run, even without winning.

Building Support Over Time

Some third parties hope to grow slowly. They want to gain more and more supporters over many years. Their goal is to eventually become one of the main parties themselves. The Labour Party in Britain, for example, started as a smaller party and grew to become one of the two dominant ones.

Voting Systems and Third Parties

The way a country votes can affect how easy it is for third parties to succeed.

First Past the Post Systems

In countries that use a voting system called "first past the post," it's usually harder for third parties to win. In this system, the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don't get more than half the votes. This system often leads to two main parties because smaller parties find it hard to get enough votes to win any seats.

Proportional Representation Systems

Other countries use a system called "proportional representation." This system tries to give parties seats in the government based on the percentage of votes they get. For example, if a party gets 10% of the votes, they might get about 10% of the seats. This makes it easier for smaller parties to win seats. In these countries, it's common for several parties to work together in a "coalition" government.

Minor Parties

Sometimes, very small parties don't win any seats at all. These parties might be called "minor parties" or "fringe parties." They usually get only a tiny percentage of the votes.

Related pages

• Liberal Democrats (United Kingdom)