Sir, – Karl Martin (Letters, November 14th) asks: " . . . if a majority of voters in European countries like Italy want immigration dramatically reduced but elected politicians cannot do so, because of activist judges and outdated international refugee conventions, voters are sooner or later going to ask themselves: what’s the point of democracy?”
While democracy has been defined as the rule of the people, by the people, for the people, the question must be asked whether there are limits to the power of elected politicians to legislate as they want.
In most democracies, the powers of representative government are limited by constitutional law which ensures that democratic governments are obliged to respect national and international inalienable human rights.
Otherwise, democratic populism will lead to tyranny. – Yours, etc,
Grá ar an Trá: What is the point of Gráinne Seoige in this incoherent pudding of a series?
Ireland is emerging from winter, but maybe hold off mowing your lawn for now
What’s a phage and why might your body be hosting thousands of them?
Author Torrey Peters: ‘Admitting to any sexual aspect to a trans identity can be politically dangerous. But I refuse to be silenced by bigots’
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Dublin 9.
