A permanent structure that facilitates continuity in governance is the

The civil service is the permanent administrative arm of government made up of career officials (civil servants) who implement government policies and keep the machinery of governance running. Unlike political office holders - such as presidents, governors, and ministers - who come and go with each election cycle, civil servants remain in their positions regardless of changes in government.

This permanence is what makes the civil service the structure that facilitates continuity in governance. When a new government takes over, the civil service ensures that ongoing programmes, institutional memory, and day-to-day administration continue without disruption.

The other options do not satisfy this requirement:

• The military defends the nation but is not the permanent administrative structure that runs government.
• Public corporations are government-owned enterprises set up to provide specific services (like power or water supply); they do not manage the broader continuity of governance.
• The judiciary interprets laws and settles disputes; while it is a permanent arm of government, its primary role is adjudication, not the administrative continuity of governance.