1.
nonpartisan; independent; not affiliated with any political party
Not belonging to or supporting any particular political party. Used to describe both politicians who run without party affiliation and voters who do not consistently support one party.
無党派層の票が選挙の鍵を握る。
The votes of independent voters hold the key to the election.
彼は無党派で立候補した。
He ran as an independent candidate.
若者の間では無党派の人が増えている。
Among young people, the number of those with no party affiliation is growing.
Composed of 無 (without) and 党派 (political party/faction). A key term in Japanese election coverage, as 無党派層 (the independent voter bloc) often determines election outcomes.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 無党派層: independent voters; swing voters
- 無党派で立候補する: to run as an independent
- 無党派の有権者: nonpartisan voters
- 無党派候補: independent candidate
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 無所属: unaffiliated; independent — specifically about formal organizational membership
- 中立: neutral — broader, not limited to politics
- 浮動票: floating votes; swing votes — the votes themselves, not the voters
CULTURAL NOTE:
In Japanese politics, the 無党派層 has grown significantly since the 1990s, reflecting voter disillusionment with established parties. Poll results often report the percentage of respondents who identify as 無党派.