Democracy, or a political system to keep out potential candidates from upsetting the cronyism, to elect a political Pen Pal Buddy in Uachtarán na hÉireann

Do you think it is democratic to prevent potential candidates to run for political presidential office because the politicians have it all nicely wrapped up in the system that is now in place?

How were politicians allowed to put this system in place, it seems totally against all that is democratic.