In parliamentary systems of government, the term loyal opposition is applied to the opposition parties in the legislature to indicate that the non-governing parties may oppose the actions of the sitting cabinet – typically comprising parliamentarians from the party with the most seats in the elected legislative chamber – while maintaining loyalty to the source of the government's power. The concept thus permits the dissent necessary for a functioning democracy, as the policies of the governing cabinet can be challenged without fear of charges of treason against the state.[1] This idea emerged in Great Britain.
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The notion of a loyal opposition exists in various Commonwealth realms, being therein termed formally as Her (or His) Majesty's Loyal Opposition and informally as the Official Opposition,[2] with the head of the largest opposition party – that which holds the second largest number of seats[2] – typically designated as the Leader of Her (or His) Majesty's Loyal Opposition. This tradition emerged in the oldest of the Commonwealth realms – the United Kingdom – during the 18th century,[3] but it was not until a debate in the British parliament in 1826 that John Hobhouse coined the term His Majesty's Loyal Opposition.[1][3] As a consequence of this parliamentary evolution, the sovereign's right to the throne became more concrete, seeing the opposition scrutinise government legislation and policies, rather than engage in disputes between competing candidates for the Crown, each supported by different religious and economic groups.
This came to be rooted in the other countries due to their being former British colonies, to which British parliamentary institutions were transported. Thus, the phrase His Majesty's Loyal Opposition existed in some Commonwealth realms even before the title of prime minister.[1] Also, in federal countries, such as Canada, the phrase Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition is also employed in provincial or state legislatures, in the same fashion as in other parliaments.[4]
The idea of loyal opposition in the United States was formed during the rivalry between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton and the peaceful transfer of power when Jefferson won the presidential election.
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