In what systems is government by representatives of the people instead of directly by the people themselves?

Government by representatives of the people is characteristic of representative democracies, where elected officials make decisions on behalf of the citizens. This system contrasts with direct democracy, where individuals vote on policies directly. Representative government can be found in various forms, including parliamentary systems, like those in the United Kingdom and Canada, and presidential systems, like in the United States and Brazil, where elected representatives are accountable to their constituents.