Caucus

A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries.

Caucuses in Commonwealth Nations

In some Commonwealth nations, a caucus is a regular meeting of all Members of Parliament who belong to a political party. In a Westminster System, a party caucus can be quite powerful, as it has the ability to elect or dismiss the party's parliamentary leader. The caucus also determines some matters of policy, parliamentary tactics, and disciplinary measures against disobedient MPs. In some parties (such as the Australian Labor Party or the New Zealand Labour Party), caucus also has the ability to elect MPs to Cabinet when the party is in government.

Related Topics:
Commonwealth - Members of Parliament - Westminster System - Australian Labor Party - New Zealand Labour Party

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In New Zealand and in the Australian Labor Party, the term "caucus" can be used to refer to the collective group of the MPs themselves, rather than merely the meeting of these MPs. Thus, the (Australian) Federal Parliamentary Labor Party is commonly called "the Labor Caucus." The word was introduced to Australia by King O'Malley, an American-born Labor member of the first federal Parliament in 1901, and presumably entered into New Zealand politics at a similar time. In New Zealand, the term is used by all political parties, but in Australia, it is restricted to the Labor Party. In the Liberal Party of Australia, and for all parties in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the usual term is the parliamentary party.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - Australian Labor Party - King O'Malley - 1901 - Liberal Party of Australia - United Kingdom - Republic of Ireland

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The usage of caucus in Canada is similar to that of New Zealand; caucus refers to all members of a particular party elected to parliament or a provincial legislature. In Canada, these members elect among themselves a caucus chair who presides over their meetings and is an important figure when the party is in opposition and an important link between cabinet and the backbench when the party is in government.

Related Topics:
Canada - Provincial - Caucus chair - Opposition - Cabinet - Backbench - Government

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The word can also be used to mean all the deputies in an assembly who come from a certain geographical or other background, for example "the Quebec caucus."

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