Ireland has a democratic form of government, otherwise known as parliamentary democracy. The coalition with the greatest representation in the parliament forms the government; the leader becomes prime minister or chancellor. Executive functions are exercised by members of the parliament which are appointed by the prime minister. These then form what is known as the cabinet. The parties in the minority serve in the opposition, which means they oppose the majority with the right and the duty to challenge it on a daily base. The prime minister has an unstable function as he may be removed from power whenever he loses the confidence of his majority.
Parliamentary democracy originated …show more content…
The other main political parties represented in the Dáil are Fianna Fáil (centre-right) and Sinn Féin (left-wing). The Seanad has 60 members, eleven of whom are nominated by the Taoiseach. The other members are elected from vocational panels which include Administrative Panel, Agricultural Panel, Cultural and Educational Panel, Industrial and Commercial Panel, Labour Panel. The Seanad can initiate or revise legislation, but the Dáil can reject their amendments and legislation proposals ’. The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann) serves as head of state and is directly elected by the people. The current President, elected in 2011, is Michael D Higgins. Presidents are elected for seven years, and can serve no more than two terms. The President has a largely ceremonial role. There are 114 local authorities in Ireland. They provide a wide range of services, including housing, transport, water supply, waste management, education, health and …show more content…
The term Legitimacy originates from the latin “legitimare” (to declare lawful); it broadly means rightfulness. “Legitimacy therefore confers on the order or command an authority” 1(Heywood 1997,193)
Among the currently significant themes in Irish parliamentary democracy are corporatism, clientelism, corruption and centralisation. In political science, legitimacy is the popular acceptance of an authority, usually a governing law or a régime. Whereas "authority" denotes a specific position in an established government, the term "legitimacy" denotes a system of government — wherein "government" denotes "sphere of influence". Political legitimacy is considered a basic condition for governing, without which a government will suffer legislative deadlock(s) and collapse. In political systems where this is not the case, unpopular régimes survive because they are considered legitimate by a small, influential élite.
Populism : a belief that popular instincts and wishes are the principle legitimate guide to political action, often reflecting distrust or hostility towards political elites. (Heywood 2013 pg