Which statement about constitutional legitimacy is correct?

• A. Constitutional legitimacy refers to legitimacy derived from the constitutional framework and its processes.
• B. Weather and climate determine constitutional legitimacy.
• C. Constitutional legitimacy is unrelated to elections.
• D. Constitutional legitimacy depends on military strength.

Answer: (A)

Constitutional legitimacy is the rightful authority of a government because it is rooted in the constitutional framework and the rules and procedures that sustain that framework. When a government operates within those bounds and earns the consent of the governed—often shown through free and fair elections, due process, and acceptance by other constitutional institutions—it is considered legitimate. This is why the statement that legitimacy comes from the constitutional framework and its processes is the best answer. Weather and climate have no effect on legal authority, and legitimacy is not about military might or independence from elections; elections are part of the processes that confer legitimacy, while coercive power alone does not establish it.