In a representative political system where citizens elect lawmakers, but the executive head of state possesses unchecked power to veto and nullify legislative enactments without judicial review or constitutional redress, which core democratic pillar is most directly violated?
- The rule of law and popular sovereignty, because executive power is elevated above the constitutional framework and the delegated will of the electorate.Answer
- BLegitimate authority, because any unilateral executive decision automatically converts political authority into arbitrary physical power.
- CLegal sovereignty, because the voting populace functions as the direct supreme law-making body in a representative democracy.
- DProcedural equality, because executive officers are constitutionally immune from all judicial oversight during their tenure.
Answer
The rule of law and popular sovereignty, because executive power is elevated above the constitutional framework and the delegated will of the electorate.
Democracy relies fundamentally on popular sovereignty—where supreme political power resides with the people and is exercised through elected representatives—and the rule of law, which guarantees that all government organs operate under constitutional limitations. When an executive head can override legislative acts without judicial or parliamentary recourse, executive power effectively sits above the law and invalidates the democratic mandate of the electorate.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Pillars of Democracy: Constitutional Supremacy, Rule of Law, and Popular Sovereignty