In the English parliament, the government (left) and the opposition (right) sit directly opposite each other. At the microphone is Theresa May, prime minister (2016-19) from the Conservative party. Opposite to it sit the MPs of Labour (Labor Party).
Opposition
If you don’t like what parents, teachers or most of your classmates say and want, you are in opposition. The word comes from Latin and means "to be in opposition to the majority".
opposition is part of democracy
In politics, we speak of the "opposition" when we mean the parties that are represented in parliament but are not part of the governing parties. They form what is known as the parliamentary opposition. The opposition is an important part of democracy because it checks the government.
Opposition outside the parliament
There are also groups and parties that oppose the government’s policies, but are not represented in parliament by MPs. These are then called the "extra-parliamentary opposition".
FAQ / Frequently asked questions
(Frequently Asked Questions – this is the English translation of "frequently asked questions")
Which means are available to the opposition for the fulfillment of their goals??
Hello Yrak, the opposition has many ways to influence politics. It has deputies in the German Bundestag who work in the committees and speak in the plenum and thus influence politics. It can make inquiries to governments and require the government to provide information about its political intentions and plans. Where the government needs the opposition’s approval for legislative projects, it will ensure that the government does some of the things that are important to the opposition in return. Of course, the opposition can also try to exert influence outside parliament and make its control function heard in public. Representatives of the opposition can appear on talk shows on television, they can spread their views via social media, they can advertise their beliefs with a stand in the marketplace on weekends, and they can attract attention in many more ways. In many ways, the opposition participates in the formation of the political will of the people.
Why do you think an opposition is important for democracy??
Hello nerd.com, the opposition has crucial tasks in a democratic system: It monitors and criticizes the government when it considers decisions and plans to be wrong. In this way, it can prevent a government from exercising unrestricted power. The opposition should also develop and put forward its own plans and thus represent the opinion of citizens who are dissatisfied with the government. Above in the text and in our answers to the questions of other children we have written more about the important tasks of the opposition in democracy.
your further questions about it.
Hello, can you tell me which parties are currently (2022) in opposition? Who leads them?
Hello Cucumber, in the opposition are currently the CDU and the CSU, the AfD and the party Die Linke. The CDU is the largest opposition party.
What would happen if Scholz didn’t get the minimum number of votes?
Hello Toninho, then the process of forming a government would have started all over again. It is conceivable that the current governing coalition would have launched another attempt to elect Mr. Scholz as chancellor. It is also conceivable that other parties would then have tried to form a stable coalition under a different head of government.
Is a democracy possible without an opposition? ?
Hello Jurgen, the opposition is part of democracy and it is also important that it is represented in parliament.
Which parties form the opposition and which form the government in the Bundestag??
Hello Bobegag, at the moment there is no opposition in the German Bundestag because there is also no federal government yet. At the moment it looks like the parties SPD, Bundnis 90/ Die Grunen and FDP want to form the government together. All other parties in the German Bundestag are in opposition in this case.
Means "right to opposition, in the context of the democratic principle of the dt. Constitutional principles that oppositions must be able to exercise their function effectively and thus be given special minority rights? Or. there must be a provision in parliament that oppositions can effectively represent their opinions even though they are in the minority.
Hello mike, the opposition plays an important role in democracy. It controls and criticizes the government and makes its own suggestions on how a different policy could look. This is why the opposition is given rights to participate in parliament. These do not have to be constantly fought for or requested; they are regulated in the Basic Law and in other laws or in the rules of procedure of the German Bundestag. This ensures that the opposition can perform its functions.
Is there also in other countries?
Hello lenchen, opposition against the government policy of one’s own country exists in all countries. Because the fact is that people don’t all have the same opinion about how politics should be done. In democratic countries, the main task of the opposition is to control the government in parliament. In dictatorships the opposition is often persecuted. There, people who oppose the government are often persecuted and thrown into prison.
What does hurdle mean
Hello luna , a hurdle is an obstacle, something that stands in the way and that you have to jump over. This is how parties have to jump the 5-percent hurdle in Bundestag elections to make it into the German Bundestag. That is, they must get more than 5 percent of the valid second votes cast in the election.
What is opposition?
Hello lena, read the text above to the keyword "opposition" and our answers to the FAQ. There you will find the answer to your question.
What is an opposition. Short and sweet
Hello Swagsouls, read our article "Opposition" here in the dictionary of Hanisauland. This is a short article, and maybe you will have an idea how it could be even shorter and more concise.
What effects does the political opposition have on us people ❓
Hello Tjelleforz, the opposition has an important task in our democracy. It criticizes and controls the government in parliament and develops political ideas that differ from those of the governing coalition. This is quite important in a pluralistic society, where many people have very different ideas and desires. By developing its own plans, the opposition also represents the opinion of citizens who are dissatisfied with the government.
Why is it called opposition?
Hello Rainbow, the word opposition comes from Latin and means "to be in contradiction with the majority". This is also true for the opposition in the German Bundestag. It represents different political views and goals than the governing coalition, which has the majority of deputies in the parliament.
What can an opposition do in the Bundestag?
Hello rainer zufall, the task of the opposition is mainly to control the government. It asks the government questions, it also criticizes government plans. Often it deals with the government’s plans in such a way that it presents counter-arguments in the parliament. In this way, it makes clear to the public that there are also other opinions than those of the government and thus influences public opinion. Maybe this will lead to some of the government’s plans being changed a little.
hello, what are the tasks of an opposition (in the Bundestag) and what is an opposition at all
Hello yumyum, read the article about "opposition" and our answers to the FAQ. There we have explained what the opposition is and what tasks it has in democracy.
Is the opposition the minority government? The AfD for example. And are all opposition parties together the minority government? A minority government gets the support from the opposition, belongs to it but not the government (50 percent + 1)
Hello Moritz Neubert , please read the answer we gave to your other question in the encyclopedia article "Minority government" have given. This should also answer this question.
Hello, I would like to know which party goes into opposition how and when.
The party decides for itself? Is there a limit of opposition parties? Who decides how ultimately which party or which chairmen go into opposition?
Thanks already for the answer!
Hello KLIMAFTW, the party (parties) that do not participate in the government form the opposition. Which parties these are, decides itself, if one knows, who forms the government. Sometimes a party decides not to participate in the government in any case. Sometimes it is also the case that no one wants to form a government with a particular party. Then this party belongs in any case to the opposition.
For me it sounds as if the opposition would be from the tasks, the real "winners", because the government can not do anything without the consent of the opposition
Hello Maria, the government parties have the majority in the German Bundestag and can decide a lot there. They do not need the consent of the opposition. The opposition controls the government, for example by asking questions about the government’s policies. The opposition cannot decide anything in the Bundestag. In the legislation, however, the Bundestag is not the only body involved. The Federal Council also plays an important role. It may be that the parties in opposition in the Bundestag play an important role as government parties in the federal states.
Is there an example where the oppostion has used their stratigien
Hello kole, if you mean the opposition in the German Bundestag – it has many possibilities to influence politics. It has deputies in the German Bundestag who work in committees and speak in the plenary session of parliament. It can make requests to the government and ask it to provide information about its political intentions and plans. Where the government needs the opposition’s approval for legislation (there is such a thing), it can ensure that the government does some of the things that are important to the opposition in return. These are only some examples. The opposition also takes advantage of many opportunities for the public to learn about their views, so that citizens will then support the opposition parties more strongly in the next election
Hello ,
I would have a quick question , what is the importance of the plenum for opposition ?
Hello Hansi, plenum means full assembly. To the plenum of the German Bundestag all delegates belong. So these are the deputies who support the government parties, and also the opposition deputies.
What is the difference between a government and an opposition??
Hello Luna -, the government governs the country and determines the basic lines of policy. For this it needs the majority in the parliament, the German Bundestag. Because only the Bundestag can decide on laws and it must select and support the government. The parties in the Bundestag that support the government belong to the governing parties. All other parties, which are represented in the Bundestag with delegates, form the opposition. They control the government and make suggestions how a different policy could look like. Read again our text above and also the article "Government" here in the encyclopedia of Hanisauland.
What do the parties that did not receive the most votes form?
Hello JDiwjaijfiapdiwapohsdh, they form the opposition.
What do government and opposition form together
Hello Luli, the deputies of the government parties and the opposition parties together form the elected parliament.
What form the parties that have not received the most votes
Hello Katrina Peach, after an election a government is formed. This government often includes the party that won the most votes in the election. But also smaller parties, which have won only a few votes in the election, can become a member of a coalition government. The other parties, which are represented in parliament by deputies but are not part of the government, together form the opposition.
What are the tasks of an opposition
Hi H, the opposition has crucial tasks in a democratic system: It monitors and criticizes the government when it thinks decisions and plans are wrong. It can prevent a government from exercising unlimited power. The opposition should also develop and put forward their own plans, representing the views of citizens who are dissatisfied with the government. Above in the text and in our answers to other children’s questions we have written more about the important tasks of the opposition in democracy.
Opposition explain with their own words
Hello Melisa, please read the text above and our answers to the FAQ. Then you can surely do your school assignment easily by yourself.
What is an opposition?
Hi Peter Silie , please read the text above and our answers to the FAQ. There we have already written this.
Which parties will form the opposition in 2021?
Hello Ibrahim, currently the AfD, Bundnis 90/ Die Grunen, the FDP and the party DIE LINKE form the opposition in the German Bundestag.
What does opposition mean?
Hello 1223456789900b, the opposition in the parliament has other views than the government. In a democracy it is important that the opposition exists. We have explained all this above in the text.
what interesting historical information is there about the CDU ?
Hello Hannis, we recommend you to have a look at the website of the CDU. At the keyword "parties" we have already answered some questions about the CDU in the last few days and also mentioned some interesting links.
Which possibilities of the control have the opposition opposite the Federal Government??
Hello Meli , have a look at "Inquiry (big/small)" here in the encyclopedia. The deputies can question the government there, they can draw attention to it, if something in their opinion is not going right – for example, in the debates, the speeches, which you can sometimes see on TV. MPs also sit on committees where bills are debated. There they can put forward their own views, point out things to the government that they think are not right. And they can under certain circumstances also with laws, which they consider unconstitutional, call the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe and require that the law is examined.
you have to invite the representatives of the opposition to a discussion of the student council?
Hi all, if the student council wants to have a public discussion on a topic on which there are different ideas at the school, then it should go without saying that representatives of other views, i.e. the opposition, should also be invited to the event. Democracy includes diversity of opinion and tolerance. When you deliberately exclude a group, you are not acting in the spirit of these important democratic goals.
Is the parliament and the Bundestag the same?
Hello Jenny, the Bundestag is the German parliament. But there are more parliaments. For example, each federal state has its own parliament. This means that, as a rule, parliament.
What does monitor mean in the case of the question from the 18.3.21.
Hello Qwertzuiopuasdfghjkloayxcvbnm,.b, monitor should mean "control" – so we have written it now also more understandably. The opposition checks that rules are being followed, that laws are being obeyed, and more.
If the FTP belongs to the opposition.
Hello Pumuckl , probably you mean the FDP – which belongs to the opposition in the German Bundestag. In some federal states it is involved in the government, for example in North Rhine-Westphalia.
What exactly are the tasks of the opposition?
Hi Zane-slip(helpmepls), the opposition has very important tasks in a democratic system: It controls and criticizes the government when it thinks decisions and plans are wrong. It can put questions to the government and ask it to give information about its political plans. She takes care that the laws made by the majority are also compatible with the Basic Law. If she has any doubts about this, she can have it checked out. With it the opposition can prevent that a government exercises unrestricted power. In the debates in the Bundestag, as well as in the media, they can also express their views and inform the public about their views. That’s because the opposition is also supposed to develop and put forward its own plans, representing the views of citizens who are unhappy with the government.
What speaks against the opposition if one considers that the government reproaches the respective opposition that it should not criticize the government plans but own suggestions on the table put?
Hello Princess, quarrels and mutual attacks belong to the politics. That’s why it’s not unusual for the government to accuse the opposition of criticizing everything but not having any concepts of its own. But the main task of the opposition is not to create a counter-concept to the government’s policy. Its task is to control the government. In parliament, the opposition can put questions to the government and ask the government to provide information about its political plans. They make sure that the laws made by the majority are compatible with the Basic Law. If she has doubts about it, she can have it checked. Of course, the opposition will also express their ideas and inform the public about their views in the debates in the Bundestag and in the media. Because with it it connects the hope that it gets then perhaps with the next election the majority.
How does it work and how can it fulfill its central task in connection with the "separation of powers"? (especially well) follow? What problem, or better, what dilemma does it always face?? We prefer to ask the question again because we do not know if it was understandable 
Hello Lola& linn, the opposition in the Bundestag has many opportunities to influence politics. Its central area of activity is the parliament, the legislature. The opposition has deputies in the German Bundestag, who work in the committees, speak in the plenum and thus influence politics. It can put questions to the government and ask it to provide information about its intentions and plans. The opposition also uses many opportunities for the public to know their views. The representatives of the opposition can appear on television talk shows, they can spread their views via social media, they can advertise their convictions with a stand in the marketplace, and they can draw attention to themselves in many other ways. What dilemma should be associated with this opposition work, we can not immediately see. Perhaps what is meant is that constant opposition to the government’s actions pushes the opposition into the role of the eternal nay-sayer. Against it helps however, always to present at the same time concepts for an alternative policy.
in their opinion, the opposition is obliged to such constructive cooperation what is in favor what is against?
Hello Brain , the opposition has crucial tasks in a democratic system: It monitors and criticizes the government when it thinks decisions and plans are wrong. So it can prevent that a government exercises unrestricted power. The opposition is also supposed to develop and put forward its own plans, representing the views of citizens who are dissatisfied with the government. Above in the text we have written more about the important tasks of the opposition in democracy.
Good day what are the tasks of the opposition in a nutshell ?
Hello Lisamarie, we have written that above in the keyword opposition. We recommend reading! Greetings from HanisauLand.
Does the AfD belong to the opposition?
Hello cookie crumbs, the AfD is represented in the Bundestag and in some state parliaments. There it belongs everywhere to the opposition.
What are the tasks of the opposition and why is it so important??
Hello Isa, please read our text above, there we have written some things about it.
Hello
Are oppositions parties? And who are the members? Are the deputies?because I didn😅t quite understand that;
Pardon for the many questions
Hello Hanisauland, that’s a good question, because in fact there are very different forms of the opposition. This also applies to politics. One means by "opposition the parties that are represented in the parliament but are not part of the government parties. These parties and their deputies form the so-called parliamentary opposition. The opposition is an important part of democracy, because it controls the government. But there are also groups or organizations that are not represented in parliament but still criticize the government’s policies and demand a different policy. This is then sometimes called the extra-parliamentary opposition.
What are the possibilities of the opposition to have an impact, which areas of impact are mainly used?
If you mean the opposition in the Bundestag – it has many possibilities to gain influence on politics. After all, it has members in the German Bundestag who work in the committees, speak in the plenary and thus influence politics. It can put questions to the governments and ask the government to give information about its political intentions and plans. Where the government needs the approval of the opposition for legislation (there is such a thing), it will make sure that the government does some things in return that are important to the opposition. These are just a few examples. The opposition also uses its opportunities so that the public can learn about its views and possibly then vote for the opposition by majority in the next election.
Write us your question
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