qualified majority
Business and Politics
noun
A specified proportion above a simple majority, as a requirement for ratification in a voting system; specifically (in the Council of Ministers in the European Union) a majority in a system of weighted voting, in which each member nation has a certain number of votes according to its status, and the required majority is calculated to ensure a proposal may not be blocked by one powerful nation; frequently attributive, as qualified majority voting, etc.
Origin
Early 20th century.
- single nucleotide polymorphism
- single parent
- single-party
- single-player
- single room
- singles bar
- single-seater
- single-serving site
- single-source
- single stick
- singlet
- singleton
- single transferable vote
- singletree
- be left at the post
- be left for dead
- be left holding the baby (or bag)
- be left to oneself
- belemnite
- bel esprit
- be level pegging
- Belfast
- Belfast sink
- belfry
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