What defines a coalition government?

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A coalition government is when two or more parties agree to govern together in order to create a working majority in the legislature. This typically happens after an election where no single party wins an outright majority, so the partner parties strike a deal to pool their seats and agree on a shared policy programme, often sharing cabinet posts to keep the alliance stable. With a working majority, the government can pass laws more reliably and implement its agenda. This matches the idea of governing with the support of multiple parties, rather than one party ruling alone. It’s different from a single party with a majority, which governs by itself, and from opposition efforts to block legislation, which describe how debates and votes unfold rather than how a government is formed. It also isn’t based on a situation where no party wins seats—that outcome isn’t how a government is formed.