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like Italy want immigration dramatically reduced but elected politicians cannot do so, because of activist judges and outdated international refugee conventions, voters are sooner or later going to ask themselves: what’s the point of democracy?”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,
Caelan Doris and Rónan Kelleher racing to be fit in time for Ireland’s trip to Wales
Seán Moncrieff: There’s a reason why Ireland hasn’t produced a Donald Trump or a Nigel Farage yet
Chris Fitzpatrick: I've worked as a health professional for decades. I'm perturbed by several issues in Lucy Letby's case
Competitive parenting in China: ‘School starts at 7.30am and I pick him up at 9.30pm. He studies again when we arrive home’
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Dublin 9.
