Elections No Longer Simultaneous, DPRD Terms Potentially Extended

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The Constitutional Court's decision to separate national elections from local elections not only impacts the design of election administration but also the management of government, particularly at the regional level. The term of the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) has the potential to be extended, and the position of regional heads will again be held by officials, as the Constitutional Court requires that national and local elections not be held in the same year.

The Constitutional Court, in its decision on Thursday (26/6/2025), stated that the upcoming elections will be held in two stages. The national election to select members of the House of Representatives, Regional Representative Council, as well as the president and vice president, will be conducted first. Two to two and a half years later, local elections will be held to choose members of the Regional People's Representative Council, governors, as well as regents and mayors.

The Chairman of Commission II of the DPR, Muhammad Rifqinizamy Karsayuda, stated that his party respects the decision of the Constitutional Court. This decision will also serve as the main material in the revision of the Election Law, which is currently being prepared.

"We ensure that the Constitutional Court's decision is one of the main concerns for Commission II of the DPR," said Rifqinizamy when contacted in Jakarta, Thursday.

Commission II of the House of Representatives, he continued, will conduct a study and simulation (exercise) to formulate the most appropriate formula for holding elections in two stages as mandated by the Constitutional Court's ruling. One of the technical challenges is to regulate the transition period between national elections and local elections.

"If the national elections are held in 2029, then assumptively, the local elections can only be conducted in 2031. This means there will be a two-year gap, during which the positions of provincial and district/city DPRD members, as well as regional heads, will experience a vacancy," he stated.

For regional heads, Rifqinizamy continued, the available solution is the appointment of an acting official as has been done in previous periods. However, for the Regional People's Representative Council, there is no mechanism for temporary appointments, so the only option is to extend the term of office.

"These are the matters that will later become the dynamics in formulating the draft Election Law. Of course, we are still awaiting guidance and decisions from the leadership of the DPR to be provided to Commission II," he said.

Separately, the Coordinator of the Indonesian Voter Committee, Jeirry Sumampow, stated that the separation of national and local elections will make the elections more organized and of higher quality. This separation will also allow for the workload of the KPU, Bawaslu, and other election organizers to be distributed more effectively.

Nevertheless, according to Jeirry, the separation of national and local elections also presents new challenges. Elections held at two different times still require serious preparation.

From a budgetary perspective, holding two elections within a five-year cycle requires double the costs. "The state must bear the expenses for logistics, distribution, security, and the honorarium of officials twice. This has the potential to become a heavy fiscal burden, especially if not accompanied by efficiency," he stated.

Another challenge is that the public will be faced with increasingly high political intensity. The frequency of citizens voting at polling stations is also increasing. If not managed properly, this situation could lead to political fatigue or apathy. Voter participation may decline as individuals feel bored or do not see any real changes from one election to the next.

In addition, Jeirry continued, the separation of elections also impacts the increasing potential for politicians to "jump stages." "Because the election times are different, those who fail in the national election can immediately run for regional elections or vice versa. Politics becomes a trial-and-error arena, no longer about service. Democracy can become trapped in a short-term mindset and merely electoral interests," he said.