Political structure to be considered democratic

In your view, what is required of a society for its political structure to be considered democratic? While this question might seem straightforward, it actually is not and is a topic of contentious debate in current political philosophy circles. In fact, The Democracy Index lists 60 different indicators that must be considered when discerning whether a nation is a democracy. While you in no way will be expected to discuss all of the possible indicators, discuss a few of the conditions that must exist for a government to qualify as a democracy. Include textual evidence to support your view.