Unelected

Unelected describes people or offices not chosen through a general election. The label is commonly applied to constitutional monarchs who serve as heads of state, and to members of executive bodies who are appointed rather than elected to their government posts. It also covers technocrats or career civil servants who hold decision-making roles by appointment, without having won an electoral mandate for that office.

Within democracies, elections determine the composition of the legislature and, in many cases, who forms the government. However, the cabinet and other high-level officials are often appointed. When appointment is not contingent on winning an election for that office, those officials may be described as unelected for that role. The degree of democratic legitimacy attributed to unelected officials usually rests on the authority that appoints them and on mechanisms of accountability to voters and parliament.

Contemporary debates center on whether unelected officials can legitimately implement policy, particularly on matters requiring technical expertise or rapid responses. Proponents argue that experts improve governance and provide continuity beyond electoral cycles. Critics contend that lack of electoral legitimacy can reduce transparency and accountability, and may concentrate power among a small circle of appointers.

Contexts vary by country and system; unelected actors may include monarchs, appointed ministers, governors-general, or high-level bureaucrats. The term is descriptive in political commentary, rather than a formal designation, and is weighed against norms of accountability, transparency, and rule of law.