enfranchisementnoun [ U ]
uk/ɪnˈfræntʃaɪzmənt/usPROPERTY, LAW the right to buy the freehold (= legal ownership and control for an unlimited time) of a property instead of renting it leasehold (= for an agreed, limited period of time):
Blocks with 10% commercial property are at present barred from enfranchisement.
FINANCE the fact of giving voting rights to people who own non-voting shares in a company:
The group, who also own 18.1% of the existing A ordinary shares, will emerge with 20.4% of the enlarged share capital following enfranchisement.