Politics: Upper-intermediate Spanish vocabulary

94 Spanish words about politics at upper-intermediate level. Each entry links to the full meaning, a real example sentence, and usage notes written for English speakers.

• acuerdonounagreement, arrangement
• estrategianounstrategy — a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term aim
• libertadnounfreedom, liberty
• declaracionnounstatement, declaration — a formal announcement or account
• campañanouncampaign, drive
• tensionnounstrain, tension — a state of mental stress; also conflict or friction between parties
• administraciónnounadministration — the bodies that manage public services and government functions; also the act of managing an organisation
• amenazanounthreat — a person or thing likely to cause harm; a statement of intent to harm
• autoridadnounauthority — the abstract concept of legitimate power; or the bodies and persons who exercise it
• unidadnoununity — the state of being united or joined; cohesion
• juicionounjudgement, assessment — an opinion or conclusion reached through reasoning; also a trial
• territorionounterritory — an area under the jurisdiction of a ruler; also a sphere of action
• crisisnouncrisis — a critical turning point or period of acute difficulty
• transicionnountransition — the process of changing from one state to another
• estabilidadnounstability, equilibrium
• ejercerverbto exert, to exercise
• posturanounstance, position — a way of thinking about or approaching something
• sesionnounsession — a period of time devoted to a particular activity
• candidatonouncandidate
• democracianoundemocracy — a system of government based on popular sovereignty and the rule of law
• convocarverbto call, to convene
• cumbrenounsummit — a meeting between heads of government; also a mountain peak
• conflictonounconflict, clash
• bloquenounbloc, block —
• tacticanountactic — an action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific goal
• congresonouncongress —
• apuestanounstake, bet — a thing at risk; also a strategic commitment
• refugionounrefuge, shelter — protection or safety from danger; a place providing emergency accommodation
• bloqueonounblockade, obstruction
• veredictonounverdict — the decision made by a jury or judge; also a general judgement
• esferanounsphere, domain
• espectronounspectrum — a wide range of related ideas or things; also light spectrum
• tomar medidasverbto take measures, to take action
• explotarverbto explode, to blow up
• oponerseverbto object, to oppose
• consensonounconsensus
• déficitnoundeficit, shortfall
• oficialadjectiveofficial — relating to an authority or public body; formally sanctioned
• comiténouncommittee — a group of people appointed to manage or investigate a specific matter
• ejercer presiónverbto exert pressure, to lobby
• avergonzarverbto embarrass, to shame
• provocar polémicaverbto spark controversy, to generate serious debate
• controvertidoadjectivecontroversial, contested — giving rise to debate and strong disagreement; more formal register than polémico
• disolververbto dissolve, to disband
• irrumpirverbto burst in, to break onto the scene
• plegarseverbto yield to, to give in to
• polarizadoadjectivepolarised — divided into extreme opposing camps with little middle ground
• liberaladjectiveliberal — open to new ideas; favouring individual freedom and limited state intervention
• neutraladjectiveneutral — not supporting or assisting either side; impartial
• embajadanounembassy — the official representative office of a foreign government in another country
• cuajarverbto take hold, to materialise
• igualdadnounequality
• exilionounexile — forced or voluntary long-term absence from one's homeland, especially for political reasons
• facciónnounfaction — a group within a larger organisation that has its own distinct views or interests, often in conflict with others
• vallanounfence, barrier
• civiladjectivecivil, civic
• democráticoadjectiverelating to or based on the principles of democracy, especially free and fair elections
• urnanouna box into which voters place their completed ballot papers during an election
• conservadoradjectiveconservative — resistant to change
• dictadornouna ruler with total, unchecked power over a country; typically seized or maintained by force
• comunismonouna political and economic system based on collective ownership of property and the means of production
• empatarverbto finish a match, game or vote with an equal score or result on both sides
• corruptoadjectivecorrupt — morally compromised through bribery or abuse of power
• radicaladjectiveradical — involving fundamental change or going to the root of something; can describe political positions or transformational change
• regionaladjectiveregional — relating to or characteristic of a particular region or territory
• gobernarverbto govern, to rule
• separarse / escindirseverbto split, to break away
• comprometerse averbto pledge, to commit to
• instituciónnouninstitution — an established organisation or system, especially in public life
• cuestiónnounissue, matter — a topic of discussion or concern
• proclamarverbto proclaim, to declare officially
• legislaciónnounlegislation — the body of laws enacted by a legislative body
• protestarverbto protest, to object
• unificarverbto unify, to integrate
• invadirverbto invade, to enter by force
• grupo de presiónnounlobby, pressure group — an organised group that influences political decisions
• votarverbto vote
• rebelarseverbto rebel, to revolt
• mayoríanounmajority — the greater number or part of something
• debilitar(se)verbto weaken, to undermine
• reformarverbto reform; to renovate
• minoríanounminority, minority group
• reinarverbto reign; to prevail
• nominarverbto nominate, to propose
• dimitirverbto resign
• oprimirverbto oppress, to subjugate
• restaurarverbto restore
• parlamentonounparliament — the supreme legislative body of a country
• sanciónnounpenalty, sanction — a punishment imposed for breaking a rule or law
• políticanounpolicy, politics — a set of principles guiding decisions; also political activity generally
• apoderarse de / hacerse converbto seize, to take control of
• declaraciónnounstatement, declaration — a formal announcement or official statement; 'declaración jurada' = sworn statement
• tensiónnounstrain, tension
• transiciónnountransition — the gradual process of moving from one state or system to another; 'transición democrática/energética'