UK A-Levels Politics Practice Exam

A representative democracy is characterized by the election of leaders who represent the interests of the citizens. In this system, citizens do not vote directly on every issue but instead select representatives through a competitive electoral process. These representatives are responsible for making decisions and creating laws on behalf of their constituents.

The direct voting on all issues, as suggested in one of the options, describes direct democracy rather than representative democracy. A centralized government under a single authority indicates an authoritarian system, which is a different form of governance. Lastly, the absence of public input in decision-making contrasts sharply with the principles of representative democracy, where the involvement and opinions of citizens are important in shaping policies through their elected representatives. Hence, the option that highlights competitive elections for leaders reflects the essence of representative democracy.