Contentious issues are topics or subjects that are highly debated, controversial, and often elicit strong emotions among people.
Related terms
Public Opinion: Public opinion refers to the collective views, attitudes, and beliefs held by individuals within a particular society on specific issues.
Policy-making: Policy-making is the process by which government decisions are formulated, implemented, and evaluated.
Checks and Balances: Checks and balances refer to mechanisms built into government systems that ensure each branch of government has some control over other branches' actions.