legitimate government

Cultural  

1. A government generally acknowledged as being in control of a nation and deserving formal recognition, which is symbolized by the exchange of diplomats between that government and the governments of other countries.

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Example Sentences

Abrams, the veteran diplomat, said engaging opposition actors, such as Maria Corina Machado, is a core diplomatic responsibility, particularly in a country the United States does not recognize as having a legitimate government.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

"I don't recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government, and they don't have recognition here in Austria," said 53-year-old Bakhtari.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

And so, Roberts ruled, the court need only ask whether the health care ban is “rationally related to a legitimate government interest.”

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2025

The UK government does not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2024

Nevertheless, there is not a single legitimate government, in spite of their sempiternal principles.

From Sentimental Education Vol 1 by Flaubert, Gustave