Political accountability

Political accountability is the obligation of public officials to explain and justify their conduct and to face consequences for misconduct or failure.

Answerability: The duty of an actor to explain and justify decisions to a person or institution entitled to ask. It is the explanatory duty at the heart of political accountability.
Rule of law: The principle that public power is exercised under publicly known laws that bind officials and citizens alike. Legal accountability depends on rules that constrain officials and can be enforced.
Electoral accountability: The capacity of voters to reward or punish elected officials through elections. Elections let citizens impose consequences for an officeholder's record.
Responsiveness: The tendency of officials or institutions to act in accordance with public preferences or needs. Officials can respond to demands without explaining or accepting consequences for their conduct.
Political sanction: A penalty imposed through political processes, such as removal from office or loss of support. Consequences make accountability more than a demand for explanations.
Separation of powers: A constitutional arrangement that distributes government authority among distinct branches. Divided authority gives institutions opportunities to check one another.
Administrative accountability: The systems that require public agencies and civil servants to follow rules and answer for their performance. It applies accountability to routine government administration, not only elected office.
Political representation: The relationship through which public officials act on behalf of a constituency. Representation defines whom officials serve; accountability concerns how they answer for serving them.
Legislative oversight: The scrutiny of executive conduct by a legislature through hearings, investigations, and other procedures. Legislatures can demand explanations and impose political costs on executive officials.
Transparency (behavior): The availability of information about decisions, procedures, and activities of an organization. Visible government conduct is easier to investigate and assess.

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