Assessing Options for Extending Regional Representative Council Term Lengths During Transition to Separate National and Local Elections

Jakarta, Kompas.com – Discussions regarding the reorganisation of regional heads’ and provincial legislative members’ terms have resurfaced as Indonesia implements the separation of national and local elections beginning in 2029.

Amid ongoing debate between options for term extension, appointment of acting officials (Pj), and holding interim elections, Titi Anggraini, a member of the Advisory Council for the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), argues that extending regional heads’ terms is more constitutionally justified and democratically sound.

According to Titi, within the context of electoral system transition, term extension for regional leaders can be constitutionally justified provided certain conditions are met. “In my view, the option of extending regional heads’ terms is more relevant and democratic compared to filling positions through acting officials,” Titi told Kompas.com on Thursday (27 February 2026).

Titi emphasised that term extension better preserves democratic governance continuity since extended regional heads retain electoral legitimacy from voters. “This option is better at maintaining continuity of democratic governance because extended regional heads retain electoral legitimacy from voters, unlike acting officials who do not have direct voter mandate,” she stated.

From the perspective of administrative efficiency and effectiveness, Titi argues that term extension is also more rational than widespread and prolonged appointment of acting officials. “Term extension protects the state from substantial administrative, political, and fiscal burdens resulting from massive and prolonged acting official appointments,” she noted.

She highlighted practical experience demonstrating various limitations of the acting official model. “Practical experience shows that the acting official model often faces authority limitations, weak political accountability, and risks of public policy stagnation due to the temporary nature of such leadership,” Titi said.

Furthermore, dominant reliance on acting official appointments risks strengthening administrative power centralisation. “Which actually contradicts the spirit of regional autonomy and local democracy,” she observed. “Acting officials drawn from the civil service are vulnerable to pressure and politicisation of power, potentially becoming tools manipulated to serve the victory interests of superior power structures that also have stakes in their region’s party or coalition victories,” she added.