The alternative would be having a head of state that, in many countries, is also not directly elected and has the power to dissolve parliament. If you want to a

The alternative would be having a head of state that, in many countries, is also not directly elected and has the power to dissolve parliament. If you want to argue from principles that the latter is better, fine, but it would have done nothing to avert what Johnson did; indeed, as a political figure, a president in her role would have had additional pressure to dissolve parliament.