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Politics & Government vocabulary · Elections and Voting

Snap election

Meaning in politics & government, with examples

nounCommon term

In politics & government, snap election means: An election called earlier than planned, often because the government expects to do well or because a political crisis cannot be solved in any other way.

In Turkish: erken seçim, baskın seçim

How it is used

Leaders call a snap election, and news also uses early election. In parliamentary systems the prime minister may ask for parliament to be dissolved early, while in some systems parliament itself must vote for an early election.

Example sentences

  1. The prime minister surprised everyone by calling a snap election for June.

  2. Opposition parties are demanding a snap election after the coalition collapsed.

Common collocations

  • call a snap election
  • early election
  • snap general election
  • demand a snap election
  • electionAn organized process in which people vote to choose a person or group for an official position, such as members of parliament, a president or a mayor.
  • parliamentary systemA system of government in which the government comes from parliament and must keep the support of a majority there to stay in power.
  • term of officeThe fixed period of time during which an elected or appointed person, such as a president, mayor or MP, holds an official position.
  • coalitionAn arrangement in which two or more political parties agree to work together, especially to form a government when no single party has a majority.

More terms: Elections and Voting

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