In
politics,
centrism or the
centre is a political outlook or specific position that involves acceptance or support of a balance of a degree of
social equality and a degree of
social hierarchy; while opposing political changes which would result in a significant shift of society either strongly to the
left or the
right.
Centre-left and
centre-right politics both involve a general association with centrism combined while leaning somewhat to their respective sides of the spectrum. The term is often used interchangeably with the
Third Way, a political position popularized by
Bill Clinton,
Tony Blair and
Paul Keating in the 1990s, whereby policies favored a balanced approach and the removal of extreme ideologies.