If a politician ran for office on the platform that children should be put to work from age six, his platform is likely to be controversial, meaning it will cause controversy, or a long discussion among people with opposing opinions.

Controversies are usually public disagreements about important matters. The adjective controversial is from the Latin from controversus "disputed," formed from the prefix contra- "against" plus versus, from vertere "to turn." The Latin suffix –ialis, corresponding to the English suffixes –ial and –al, means "relating to or characterized by."