1. relating to or denoting a system of government in which power is shared among representatives of different ethnic, religious, or political groups
Usage: political science term; often used in comparative politics and conflict resolution contexts

Examples

• Lebanon operates under a consociational system designed to balance power among its Christian, Muslim, and Druze communities.
• The consociational model has been proposed as a solution for deeply divided societies.
• Belgium adopted a consociational framework to manage tensions between its Flemish and Walloon populations.
• Critics argue that consociational arrangements can entrench ethnic divisions rather than overcome them.
• The consociational approach requires all major groups to participate in government decision-making.