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UK Government, the Law and Your Role

What happens if no party wins an overall majority in a general election?

AA second full general election must be called and held within a short period
BThe largest party governs as a minority, or parties may form a coalition
CThe unelected House of Lords convenes and collectively chooses who should govern
DThe outgoing government automatically remains in office indefinitely with no change

Answer & explanation

The correct answer is The largest party governs as a minority, or parties may form a coalition.

If no party wins an overall majority ("hung Parliament"), the largest party may try to govern as a minority government, or parties may negotiate a coalition (as happened in 2010 with Conservatives and Liberal Democrats).

This is one of 767 free Life in the UK test questions on Pass the UK Test. It is taken from UK Government, the Law and Your Role and covers hung parliament, coalition, elections. Every answer is based on the official Life in the United Kingdom handbook. Browse all questions or take a free mock test.

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