The article analyzes the “Constructivist Turn” in political representation, which highlights the paradox between the creation of the represented by the representative and the autonomy of both. It presents this debate from Michael Saward onward, as well as reflections about the concept of autonomy. It shows the shortcomings of the idea of acceptance/rejection as a criterion of legitimacy and the constructivists’ shift of attention to the conditions of judgment formation, emphasizing the context of pluralism, reflexivity, variability and equal access. It argues that, although these conditions are central, it is necessary to consider three factors that have an impact on democratic legitimacy: the trade-offs regarding the possibility of objection by the represented party, the difficult compatibility between individual and collective autonomy, and the concern with the interactive process of preference transformation.
representation; constructivism; autonomy; legitimacy; democracy