Legal Definitions - federal government

Definition: The federal government is the national government of a country that exercises some degree of control over smaller political units that have surrendered some degree of power in exchange for the right to participate in national political matters. It refers collectively to the political organs of a country regardless of their function or level, and regardless of the subject matter they deal with.

Examples:

• The United States government is an example of a federal government.
• In a federal state, the central government is also known as the federal government.
• The Canadian government is an example of a federal government that exercises control over smaller political units like provinces and territories.

These examples illustrate how the federal government is the national government that has the power to make decisions and laws that affect the entire country, while also allowing smaller political units to have some degree of autonomy.