Compromises are viewed as a pragmatic necessity in politics. The question is which political ideals one cannot sacrifice for the sake of agreement. Which ideals are inviolable and what is the limit for compromising one's personal integrity? This question is even more important when it comes to the ideals and realities of executive power, because such power is expected to live up to its own political ideals at the same time as it is expected to be effective in implementing it's political ideals and program. Over the last decades, it has become normal to include reflections on fundamental democratic ideals of accountability, transparency and publicity in sections of good governance for executive power in government programs. With a focus on these ideals, the paper will discuss whether governments compromise these ideals and – if they do – how and for which political reasons.
