die  Regierungskoalition

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʁeˈɡiːʁʊŋskoˌaːliˈt͡si̯oːn/

🤝 What exactly is a 'Regierungskoalition'?

A Regierungskoalition is a coalition government, meaning an alliance of at least two political parties that agree to form and support a government together after an election. This typically happens when no single party wins an absolute majority of seats in parliament.

The goal of such a coalition is to create a stable parliamentary majority to pass laws and govern the country. The participating parties negotiate a Koalitionsvertrag (coalition agreement) outlining their common political goals and the distribution of ministerial posts.

The term is composed of:

• Regierung: Government, the executive power in the state.
• Koalition: Coalition, an alliance or union (often temporary).

Thus, the word accurately describes the concept of a governing alliance.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Regierungskoalition

The word 'Regierungskoalition' is a feminine noun. The article is always 'die'. This follows the rule that many nouns ending in '-ion' are feminine (like die Nation, die Diskussion, die Koalition).

Here is the declension:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Nach langen Verhandlungen wurde endlich eine neue Regierungskoalition gebildet.
   (After long negotiations, a new governing coalition was finally formed.)
2. Der Koalitionsvertrag der Regierungskoalition legt die Leitlinien für die nächsten vier Jahre fest.
   (The coalition agreement of the governing coalition sets out the guidelines for the next four years.)
3. Die Stabilität der Regierungskoalition hängt vom Zusammenhalt der Partnerparteien ab.
   (The stability of the governing coalition depends on the cohesion of the partner parties.)
4. In Deutschland gibt es oft Regierungskoalitionen auf Bundes- und Landesebene.
   (In Germany, there are often governing coalitions at the federal and state levels.)

🗣️ How to use 'Regierungskoalition' correctly?

The term 'Regierungskoalition' is used almost exclusively in a political context. It describes the form of government formation in parliamentary systems when multiple parties must cooperate.

• Typical verbs: bilden (to form), eingehen (to enter into), schmieden (to forge), führen (to lead), platzen (to burst/collapse), stützen (to support).
• Context: Parliamentary elections, government formation, political reporting, coalition negotiations, coalition agreements.
• Distinction: A Koalition can also refer to a general alliance (e.g., a military coalition), but a Regierungskoalition specifically refers to government formation by parties. An Opposition is the opposite – the parties not involved in the government. An Alleinregierung is a single-party government.

Germans often refer to specific color combinations symbolizing the participating parties, e.g., 'Ampelkoalition' (traffic light coalition: Red-Yellow-Green) or 'Große Koalition' (grand coalition: between the two largest parties).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

For the article 'die': Focus on the ending '-ion'. Many German words ending in '-ion' are feminine: die Nation, die Position, die Diskussion... and therefore also die Koalition in die Regierungskoalition. Imagine 'the' parties must agree on 'one' position - it's all very feminine '-ion'!

For the meaning: Picture different parties (represented by colorful figures) having to sit at a table (the Regierung / government) and shake hands (the Koalition / coalition) to steer the country together. It's a 'government cooperation'.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms: Regierungskoalition

⚠️ Caution: A simple Koalition is not always a Regierungskoalition. It can also denote other alliances (e.g., Wahlkoalition - electoral coalition, Militärkoalition - military coalition).

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt ein Bürger einen Politiker: „Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Regierungskoalition und einem Bienenstock?“

Antwortet der Politiker: „Im Bienenstock gibt es nur eine Königin und viel organisierte Arbeit!“

Translation:

A citizen asks a politician: "What's the difference between a governing coalition and a beehive?"

The politician replies: "In a beehive, there's only one queen and lots of organized work!"

📜 Poem about the Coalition

Zwei Farben, manchmal drei,
schließen sich zur Macht frei.
Im Vertrag steht das Ziel,
regieren ist ihr Spiel.

Die Koalition, ein Bund,
macht Politik zur Stund'.
Mal hält sie fest, mal kracht's,
doch meistens schafft sie was.

Translation:

Two colors, sometimes three,
join freely for authority.
The treaty holds the aim,
governing is their game.

The coalition, a pact,
makes politics, in fact.
Sometimes it holds, sometimes it cracks,
but mostly gets things on the tracks.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Team, doch nicht im Sport,
regiere Land an einem Ort.
Aus Parteien werd' ich oft gemacht,
wenn eine allein nicht hat die Macht.

Wer bin ich?

Translation:

I am a team, but not in sport,
I rule a country, a specific sort.
From parties, I am often made,
when one alone lacks power's grade.

What am I?

Solution: Die Regierungskoalition (The governing coalition)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word 'Regierungskoalition' is a compound noun, composed of:

• Die Regierung: From 'regieren' (to govern), ultimately from Latin 'regere' (to steer, guide).
• Die Koalition: From Latin 'coalitio' (union), from 'coalescere' (to grow together).

Trivia:

• In Germany, coalition governments at the federal level have been the norm for decades. The last single-party majority government (Alleinregierung) was from 1957 to 1961 under Konrad Adenauer (CDU/CSU).
• Negotiations to form a Regierungskoalition can sometimes take a very long time and are often closely followed by the media.