# Political faction

Part of the Politics series :
Party politics :
Political spectrum
Left-wing
Far-leftCentre-left
Centre
Centre-leftRadical centreCentre-right
Right-wing
Centre-rightFar-right :
Major ideologies
Agrarianism
Anarchism
Christian democracy
Communism
Conservatism
Environmentalism
Fascism
Feminism
Green politics
Hindutva
Islamism
Liberalism
Libertarianism
Monarchism
Nationalism
Populism
Progressivism
Classical radicalism
Republicanism
Social democracy
Socialism
Syncretism
Third Way :
Types
Bloc party
Elite party
Cartel party
Competitive
Catch-all party
Entrepreneurial party
Ethnic party
Major party / Minor party
Mass party
Ruling party
Opposition party
Parliamentary opposition
Party of power
Official party status
Single-issue party
Transnational / International :
Leaders and organization
Backbencher
Caucus
Caucus chair
Frontbencher
Lead candidate
Leader of the Opposition
Majority leader
Minority leader
Political faction
Parliamentary leader
Party chair
Party leader
Party spokesperson
Secretary
Shadow cabinet
Whip :
Internal elections
Primary election
Leadership election
Open list
Party convention/conference
Leadership convention :
Party discipline
Conscience vote
Crossing the floor
Party discipline
Party line
Party-line vote
Party switching
Whip :
Party systems
One-party
Dominant-partyTwo-partyMulti-party
Non-partisan :
Coalitions between parties
Parliamentary group
Divided government
Coalition government
Confidence and supply
Consensus government
Cordon sanitaire
Grand coalition
Hung parliament
Majority government
Minority government
National unity government
Rotation government :
Lists of political parties
Ruling parties by country
Political parties by region
Banned political parties :
Politics portal :
vte :
A political faction is a group of people with a common political purpose, especially a subgroup of a political party that has interests or opinions different from the rest of the political party. Intragroup conflict between factions can lead to schism of the political party into two political parties. The Ley de Lemas electoral system allows the voters to indicate on the ballot their preference for political factions within a political party. Political factions can represent voting blocs. Political factions require a weaker party discipline. Research indicates that factions can play an important role in moving their host party along the ideological spectrum.

## George Washington's Farewell Address

The first president of the United States, George Washington, warned of political factions in his famous farewell address from 1796. He warned of political parties generally, as according to Washington, political party loyalty when prioritized over duty to the nation and commitment to principles, was considered to be a major threat to the survival of a democratic constitutional republic:
   Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it [the formation and loyalty to partisan interests, over loyalty to principles or one's country].

## By country
### Australia

* Factions in the Australian Labor Party
** Labor Left
** Labor Right
* Factions in the Liberal Party of Australia
** Moderates
** Centre Right
** National Right

### France

* Factions in the Socialist Party (France)

### Italy

* Factions in the Communist Refoundation Party
* Factions in the Democratic Party (Italy)
* Factions in Forza Italia
* Factions in The People of Freedom

### Japan

* Factions in the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)

### Russia/Soviet Union

* Factions of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
* List of Oppositions in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union [ru]

### United Kingdom

* List of organisations associated with the Conservative Party (UK)
* List of organisations associated with the Labour Party (UK)

### United States

* Factions in the Democratic Party (United States)
* Factions in the Libertarian Party (United States)
* Factions in the Republican Party (United States)