key term - Confidence Votes

Definition

Confidence votes are parliamentary procedures used to determine whether a government or its leader still enjoys the support of the legislature. A successful confidence vote indicates that the government can continue in office, while a failed vote may lead to its resignation or dissolution.

Related terms

Vote of No Confidence: A vote of no confidence is a specific type of confidence vote where legislators express their lack of support for the current government or its leader.

Parliamentary System:

Confidence votes are more commonly associated with parliamentary systems, where governments are formed based on legislative support rather than direct elections.

Minority Government: A minority government is one that does not hold an outright majority in the legislature and relies on other parties' support through confidence votes to govern effectively.