majorité

Majorité is a term used in law and politics to denote two related concepts: the numerical majority in a vote and the age at which a person is legally considered an adult. In many French-speaking and international contexts, the word covers both ideas, though in English-language discussions the terms majority and age of majority are used to distinguish the voting threshold from the legal status of adulthood.

In voting and decision-making, a majority refers to the option that obtains more votes than any other option or than a specified threshold. Different forms of majority exist. A simple majority requires more votes for an option than for all other options, typically more than half of valid votes cast. An absolute majority requires more than half of all possible votes, including those not cast or abstentions. Some decisions require a qualified or supermajority, such as two-thirds or three-fifths, to reflect greater consensus. In parliamentary practice, rules may specify “majority of those present and voting” or “majority of all members,” which can change the outcome depending on turnout.

Age of majority, the other core sense of majorité, is the age at which a person is legally recognized as an adult with full civil rights and responsibilities. This age varies by country and sometimes by jurisdiction within a country. Commonly it is 18, but it can be 21 in some places, or differ for specific rights such as voting, drinking, or contracting. Reaching the age of majority grants capacities like entering contracts, marrying without parental consent, and bearing full legal liability, though some activities may carry additional age-based rules or exceptions.

The concept interacts with civil status, voting rights, and contractual capacity, and is distinguished from the status of minority.