Effective Power to Govern

This sub-indicator assesses the extent to which democratically elected political representatives have the effective power to govern, or the extent to which there are veto powers and political enclaves. It assesses the extent to which individuals or groups have the power to undermine democratic procedures without questioning the system as such. Veto powers can come from the military, the clergy, landowners, business elites, and external actors, among others. They can 'veto' the results of democratic decisions or retain prerogatives that cannot be touched by democratically elected officeholders (e.g., nominating the commander-in-chief of the armed forces).