Hammelsprung

German

Etymology

From Hammel (“wether”) +‎ Sprung (“jump”). Thought to be from the idea that (most of) the delegates follow their faction leaders like sheep follow bellwethers.

Pronunciation

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Noun

Hammelsprung m (strong, genitive Hammelsprungs, plural Hammelsprünge)

1. (politics) A way of voting, functionally comparable to a division in the UK parliament, where the members or delegates leave the hall and re-enter it through three doors marked as aye, nay, and abstention.