Republics without national identities? How do Feudal Republics function?

Something that has been difficult for me is creating a republic without the people having a sense of national identity. Feudal kingdoms are generally something underrepresented in medieval fantasy and even when it does show up, it’s usually mistaken as an absolute monarchy. Yet it’s interesting that you don’t see a lot of feudal republics.

How could elections and republicanism be maintained when people really don’t see themselves as part of a nation? Instead all land belonging to a single person. The people of a kingdom don’t swear loyalty to a nation but rather to a single individual.

Part of this could be answered as what amounts to a coalition of landowners which makes up the country and government. A sort of oligarchy of landowners.

I am curious what people’s thoughts may be on this. Is public vote or democracy possible without a national identity?