> there's no direct citizen vote on things like alliances, treaties, etc One could imagine that if your country's citizens will be called upon to go to war to

> there's no direct citizen vote on things like alliances, treaties, etc One could imagine that if your country's citizens will be called upon to go to war to fight to defend a distant "country X", just because your country and "country X" happen to be in an alliance, that citizens informed consent would be desirable and required before signing such a treaty. Despite what your politicians might say, joining an military alliance has a cost, it's not a freebie.