Democracy Requires A Second Election

The author argues democracy isn’t just winning one vote; it’s ensuring the next vote can’t be rigged. That implies hard constraints during a leader’s term—independent courts, enforceable rulings, and a free press—to prevent murdering rivals, packing tribunals, or silencing scrutiny. — This reframes 'defending democracy' from a vague liberal appeal into a concrete design criterion: empower executives to govern, but not to tilt the next election.