coalition
This word carries a strong sense of pragmatism and necessity. It describes a union where the members may have conflicting ideologies or goals but agree to cooperate to achieve a specific, immediate objective. It is frequently used in political contexts to describe a government formed by multiple parties when no single party has an absolute majority. There is an inherent feeling of fragility associated with a coalition. Because it is based on a shared goal rather than a shared identity or deep-seated belief system, the alliance is often perceived as unstable and prone to collapse once the objective is met or a new disagreement arises.
Used to count specific alliances, such as a coalition of three small nations or several different political coalitions across Europe.