The political system in which those who have governmental authority get and retain authority directly or indirectly because of winning free elections is called:

A.a republic.

B.an authoritarian system.

C.a direct democracy.

D.a representative democracy.

D?

I agree.

Yes, the correct answer is D. a representative democracy. In a representative democracy, those who hold governmental authority gain and maintain their power through free and fair elections. The people elect representatives who make decisions and enact laws on their behalf. To arrive at this answer, one must understand the definitions and characteristics of different political systems. Therefore, it is crucial to have a basic understanding of various political systems and their features.