Originally Posted by Barry-xlovecam

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting for who is dinner.

Most governments are intended to be representative republics today.

With the daily administration by either a President (as in federalist system) or by a Prime Minister (in a parliamentary government). The UK is a constitutional monarchy, many countries are. Germany is a federal republic with fair elections. There are fair elections in the UK also -- only the CT nuts contest this.

The EU has a Parliament and all the member countries participate -- the voting by the parliament is fair. Just because on nation does not agree with another nation means nothing. That is the same as one state being pissed off because another state gets more than it puts in -- there is never true equality only compromise in the US Congress. Compromise toward mutual benefit. There is no Article 51 in US law -- we are stuck with each of 50 states -- good and bad.

Official or institutionalized corruption makes this little more than an illusion in some places. Putin is an elected President -- 36% of the voters opposed him -- so there was a contested election -- I can't reliably address official corruption in Russia -- I don't live there and see things first hand.