Government Glossary
Federal Republic
A system where power is divided between national and state governments and the people govern through elected representatives.
Plain-English Meaning
A federal republic is a system in which voters choose representatives to exercise public power, while authority is divided between a national government and state governments. It is a republic because most decisions are made by elected officials rather than by direct vote of the whole public. It is federal because power is split across levels of government. In the United States, this structure means Congress, the President, federal courts, federal agencies, states, local governments, and voters all have different roles.