Liberal Democracy. Why are elections so important for liberal Essay

Liberal Democracy. Why are elections so important for liberal democracy - Essay Example Elections and democracy are complementary to each other. Free and fair elections are central to promoting liberal democracy. The cosmopolitan nature of the United Kingdom society has made people devise means of having organized electoral systems that are fully representative. The intention of the electorate is to consolidate their civil rights and freedoms. These electoral systems are established through either direct or indirect means of picking representatives into the House of Commons. The electoral system must avoid irregularities and guarantee the wishes of the majority while respecting the rights and the voice of the minority. The strength of the electoral process guards against unnecessary tensions (Robinson 2010). This is the essence of reviewing the parliamentary electoral system in the United Kingdom to make them representative and free. A liberal democracy like the United Kingdom thrives through democratic elections. A general election is a vital decision making process in which the people decide whom to entrust with power. Modern liberal democracies like the United Kingdom use elections to fill vacancies in the executive, parliament and the judiciary. The word election comes from a Latin word Legere meaning-choose. The essence of general elections is to change leadership and express the wishes of the citizens on key matters. Modern liberal democracies like the United Kingdom have the electoral systems which yield the best results. The most popular democratic systems are both presidential and parliamentary systems. The United Kingdom used the parliamentary system. The liberties include the freedom of speech, religion, right to private property and privacy. Liberal democracy has safeguard against majoritarianism which hurts the minority. In a liberal democracy, elections must be free and fair (Johnson 2001). The electorate must have a choice of political parties, which differ in policies and views. In a liberal democracy, voting is by secret ballot. T his ensures that voters do not feel pressured (Robinson 2010). Elections are crucial in liberal democracies because the parliament and the government are chosen by and accountable to the voters. Liberal democracies demand that elections be regular (Dunleavy & O'Leary 2000). This gives the electorate a chance to review their leaders and make changes during the election year. The government must call for a referendum on key issues that affect the lives of people directly (Williams 1998). In liberal democracies, election results must be respected since they represent the demands of the people (Diamond & Platter 2006). As a result, the power transitions must be peaceful, and this ensures economic stability. In the United Kingdom, the European court of human rights ensures that civil rights are enforced. Democratic elections guarantee equal opportunities and a fair justice system in liberal democracies (Williams 1998). The government must be limited and open to the public (Dunleavy & O'L eary 2000). Democratic elections give the people power to securitize the government in liberal democracies. The constitution gives the citizens the right to access state information if it does not compromise the security situation of the country (Robinson 2010). Democratic electoral process guarantees free media, which is not controlled by the state. This means that the media must give neutral coverage to all the political activities in the country, and at the same time criticize any the government freely (Diamond & Platter 2006). In the United Kingdom, the electoral system is free and fair. The law demands that balloting in the UK be secret, in addition to universal suffrage of, eighteen and over. The country has a number of political