Sovereignty is the ultimate authority in the decision-making process of a state and the maintenance of order. It can be defined as supreme power, autonomy, and controlling influence over a body politic. In a federal system of government, sovereignty also refers to the powers that a constituent state or republic possesses independently of the national government
. In modern democracies, sovereign power rests with the people and is exercised through representative bodies such as the government
. The concept of sovereignty is fundamental to international relations and has underpinned world order for the past four hundred years
