Minority parties, also known as third parties, are political groups that do not have widespread support compared to the dominant parties in a political system. In the United States, for example, the two major parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Minority parties often focus on specific issues or represent particular interests that are not adequately addressed by the major parties. These parties can influence elections and policy discussions by bringing attention to new ideas and perspectives. While they rarely win major offices, their presence can lead to changes in the platforms of the major parties, as they may adopt some of the minority parties' proposals to attract voters.