Direct Regional Elections: A People's Right Almost Forgotten
Every five years, we directly cast our votes to decide who will lead our regions—be it governors, regents, or mayors. For many of us born after the Reformation era, this moment feels commonplace, as if it has always been this way. In reality, the right to directly elect our own local leaders is the fruit of a long struggle to break free from an era when regional heads were appointed from above, far removed from the voices of the common people.
Recently, this right, which we have long taken for granted, has become subject to renewed debate. Several political parties have proposed returning the election of regional heads to the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), citing the exorbitant costs of direct election campaigns and the prevalence of money politics on the ground. These reasons are not entirely unfounded. Who would not be unsettled by news of regional candidates spending billions of rupiah on campaigns, or hearing stories of envelopes being distributed just before polling day?
However, attempting to solve that problem by reclaiming the right to vote from the people feels like trying to fix a leaking roof by burning the house down. Fortunately, at the end of June, the Constitutional Court reminded us all through a ruling: local elections must continue to be conducted directly by the people. Although the petition submitted by a group of students in this case was technically not accepted, the judges’ considerations reaffirmed this principle by referencing a series of previous rulings.
As ordinary citizens who visit the polling booth every election cycle, this ruling is important to understand, not just for law students or political observers. Because what is truly at stake is simple: who has the right to determine our local leaders—ourselves as the people, or a handful of individuals sitting in legislative seats?
It is true that the cost of direct democracy is high, and corrupt practices such as money politics must be eradicated. However, the solution is not to distance the people from the ballot box, but to reform the system, limit campaign spending, tighten the supervision of political funds, and educate the public so they are not easily swayed by small amounts of money during elections. Handing the right to vote back to the political elites in the DPRD will only result in regional heads feeling indebted to parties and factions, rather than to the citizens they are meant to serve.
As citizens who wish for our regions to be led by our chosen representatives, I believe we must collectively monitor this Constitutional Court ruling. We must not allow the discourse on returning local elections to the DPRD to continue rolling in closed rooms without us—the people who hold the right to vote—having a voice. Our local democracy is indeed not perfect, but the way to improve it is not by abandoning it, but by continuing to nurture it.