coalitiondriven

Coalitiondriven is an adjective used to describe processes, decisions, or organizational modes that are guided primarily by coalitions among multiple actors rather than by a single authority. In political science and governance, coalition-driven arrangements emphasize collaborative problem solving, negotiated compromises, and collective agenda setting. The term can apply to formal coalition governments, as well as to networks of stakeholders—such as interest groups, civil society organizations, and regional or political parties—that jointly define policy options.

Origin and usage: While not tied to a single theory, the concept draws on coalition theory and governance networks. It is used to analyze settings where policy proposals emerge from cross-actor collaborations and require agreement across diverse interests before implementation.

Key features: shared leadership or distributed decision authority; formal or informal coalition agreements that outline rules, priorities, and decision rights; mechanisms for deliberation, veto rights, and resource pooling; a tendency toward incrementalism and compromise; often longer time horizons.

Contexts: parliamentary democracies with multi-party systems frequently generate coalition-driven governance. In addition, development coalitions, international alliances, and public-private partnerships can be described as coalition-driven when outcomes depend on multi-stakeholder agreement.

Advantages and challenges: benefits include broader legitimacy, resilience through diversified support, and access to wider expertise. Challenges include potential gridlock, slower decision-making, dilution of policy aims, and risk of coalition capture by powerful interests.

Related concepts include coalition theory, governance networks, consensus decision-making, and stakeholder governance.