what is meant by the term, divided government?
A divided government, in the United States or any similarly structured constitutional republic, is one in which the executive authority is vested in a member of a party not in control of the legislative branch.
Divided government. A Divided government is one in which the presidency and the Congress are controlled by different parties. For example, in the last six years of the Clinton administration, 1995-2001, the presidency was controlled by the Democrats, while the Congress was Republican controlled.