Final answer:
Controversial issues are political topics that engender strong opinions and intense feelings, leading to polarization among the public and challenges in policy-making due to opposing views.
Step-by-step explanation:
Political issues on which virtually everyone has an opinion and many feel very intensely about are called controversial issues. These are topics that often evoke high levels of passion, lead to polarization, and can cause policy gridlock as they are intensely debated among the public and within governmental bodies. Noteworthy is the polarization effect, where people or groups divide between two extremes on such issues, leading to challenges in reaching policy consensus. Interestingly, the presence of issue publics—groups that care deeply about single, specific issues—further complicates the political landscape as different groups rally behind their causes with vigour, which can sometimes overshadow broader public opinion on other matters.