interparty

Interparty is an adjective used to describe interactions, agreements, or relations between political parties or other distinct groups. In politics, interparty activity encompasses negotiations, coalitions, policy deliberations, and governance arrangements that involve more than one party. The term helps distinguish such cross-party processes from those conducted within a single party (intra-party) and from activities by a party as an organization rather than as a coalition partner.

Interparty processes commonly occur in parliamentary systems where no single party controls a majority. Examples include interparty talks to reach policy consensus, interparty coalitions formed to pass legislation, and interparty mediation during constitutional or budget negotiations. In legal and business contexts, interparty agreements describe settlements, contracts, or arrangements between separate entities, such as corporations or institutions, rather than within one organization.

Etymology and usage: interparty derives from the Latin prefix inter- meaning between, and party, used in the sense of a political or organizational group. Related terms include bipartisanship (two-party cooperation) and cross-party (extending across party lines). Because it can involve more than two parties, interparty negotiation can require broader compromise and more complex coordination than bilateral terms.