Which of the following best describes a representative democracy?

A representative democracy is characterized by the election of officials who are empowered to make decisions and create laws on behalf of their constituents. This system relies on the idea that citizens elect representatives to act in their interests and represent their needs within government. In this framework, the elected officials are expected to advocate for the policies and interests that align with the preferences of the people who elected them.

The other options do not align with the definition of a representative democracy. Public referendums involve decision-making by the electorate on specific issues rather than through elected representatives, and direct voting on all legislation suggests a more direct democracy model. The option referring to a single leader making all decisions indicates an authoritarian or dictatorial system, which is fundamentally different from the principles of representative democracy where power is derived from elected officials representing the people's will.