Filibuster
Definition & Context
A procedural tactic in legislative sessions involving deliberately excessive prolonged speeches or debates to delay, obstruct, or prevent a vote on a bill or decision. The practitioner exploits unlimited speaking rights as a “procedural weapon” to exhaust opponents or stall proceedings until the session expires. (Synonyms: time-delaying speech, parliamentary obstruction tactic, legislative stalling maneuver)
Usage Notes or Etymology
The word filibuster traces its origins to the Dutch vrijbuiter, meaning pirate or freebooter, which passed through Spanish as filibustero before entering English. Historically, it referred to 19th-century mercenary adventurers conducting unauthorized military expeditions in foreign territories. Its parliamentary meaning emerged in the United States around the 1850s, when senators began employing prolonged speeches as a procedural weapon to obstruct legislation. The most famous example is Strom Thurmond's 24-hour speech in 1957. In Indonesian parliamentary discourse, the term is adopted as a direct loanword to describe analogous obstructive tactics in legislative sessions.
Real-world Usage
Senator melakukan filibuster untuk menghalangi pengesahan RUU kontroversial itu.
English Translation
Representative of real-world usage and contextual accuracy.
Verified Evidence1
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