Are the FedSuns really a democracy?


So I'm relatively new to the game, really only getting in through the newer MechWarrior titles and the HBS Battletech game, alongside fanfiction I've read on spacebattles, so if I'm missing details that are obvious then apologies.

The FedSuns are somewhat confusing.

See, from what I can tell of the FedSuns from the games and fanfics, they have noble titles. A 'First Prince', Dukes, etc... but apparently claim to be a democracy of some sort? Or at least have democratic and freedom-first values. But they are also expansionist? In MW5M, in one of the DLC the First Prince starts an entire war as a 'gift' to his new wife.

I get that a theme of Battletech is decay. From what I've gleamed, the Star League was the peak of human civilization but it died and now each remaining nation seeks to sit on the throne. A bunch of vultures effectively picking at a corpse.

So it brings me to my question. Are the FedSuns really a democracy? How can they be with noble titles, and with their expansion efforts seemingly happening at the behest/whim of what appears to be their total dictator?

Thank you all for the help.