Low, corrupt and irresponsible Republican leaders (5)
I believe the answer is:
nadir
'low' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'corrupt and irresponsible republican leaders' is the wordplay.
'corrupt' is an anagram indicator (a corrupted form).
'leaders' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'irresponsible republican' is 'ir'.
'and' anagrammed gives 'nad'.
'nad'+'ir'='NADIR'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for nadir that I've seen before include "Low point" , "The lowest point of anything" , "Drain (anag)" , "Lower one cannot get!" , "Lowest point, or time of deepest depression." .)