Un gobierno que se dice llamar democratico

[mwtzzz]

"un gobierno que se dice llamar democratico"
First, the correct translation is which: "a government that calls itself democratic", or "a government that is called democratic" ?

Second, why the use of the two verbs: decir and llamar? In English, we can get away with only one: "call itself"

Thirdly, is "se" reflexive on "dice" or on "llamar"?

[Rusty]

You're dealing with an idiomatic expression, so won't be able to make sense of the individual words.

"que se dice llamar" = so-called

Translation: "a so-called democratic government"

[mwtzzz]

got it.

[aleCcowaN]

un gobierno que se autodenomina democrático = un gobierno que se autodefine como democrático = a government / a regime that calls itself democratic

un gobierno que se precia de democrático = un gobierno que blasona de democrático = a government/a regime that prides itself of being democratic

un gobierno que se dice democrático (not "se dice llamar") = something in the middle of the previous examples: decirse is literally close to autodenominarse but it conceals the criticism intended by using preciarse or blasonar.