forliget

Forliget is the definite form of the Danish and Norwegian noun forlig, used to denote a formal settlement or agreement reached through negotiation between two or more parties. It describes a negotiated compromise that typically aims to resolve a dispute or end a conflict without further litigation or confrontation. The term is commonly used across legal, political, and everyday contexts to indicate that the terms have been agreed upon by the involved sides.

In legal contexts, a forlig often refers to a settlement between parties in a civil dispute. In such cases the agreement may be written and, depending on the jurisdiction, may require approval by a court or mediation authority to become binding. In labour relations, forlig can settle wage talks or other employment conditions. In commercial matters, settlements between companies or between a consumer and a seller may also be described as forlig.

In political life, forlig is frequently used to describe cross-party or multi-party agreements that secure a parliamentary majority or broad consensus on policy, budget, or reform measures. These negotiated accords are often cited as turning points in public policy, and the term can form part of the public record or media discussion as a reference to a specific negotiated outcome, sometimes titled by the year.

The word is primarily used in Danish and Norwegian; in Swedish the analogous term is forlikning. As a linguistic label, forliget signals that a particular agreement has been reached through negotiation and is intended to be binding or long-lasting.