House of Representatives Reveals 10 Issues for Changes in the Election Bill
Ahmad Doli Kurnia, a member of Commission II of the House of Representatives from the Golkar Faction, has revealed 10 issues under discussion in the Election Bill (RUU Pemilu), which is now included in the 2026 priority legislative agenda at the DPR.
Doli stated that of these 10 issues for change, some are planned follow-ups to Constitutional Court (MK) decisions. The rest are classic problems such as the proportionality system, handling of cases, and calculation models.
“I have said it several times: there are at least 10 issues that always emerge when we discuss the election law,” Doli said at the parliamentary complex on Wednesday (15/4).
He elaborated that the 10 points of change include, first, the legislative election system. The RUU Pemilu will reopen discussions on changing the election system, whether it remains an open proportional system, closed, or even a mixture.
Second, discussions on changing the parliamentary threshold. Third, discussions on changing the presidential threshold, both based on MK decisions. Until now, Doli said, several factions have not yet reached a consensus on changing the parliamentary threshold, although for the presidential threshold, the MK has requested its abolition.
Fourth, Doli continued, discussions on changing the number of seats per electoral district. Fifth, the vote-to-seat conversion system in the DPR.
Sixth, the issue of separating local and national elections referring to Decision Number 135/PUU-XXII/2024. Seventh, discussions on improving the system to curb money politics practices up to vote buying.
Eighth, digitalisation in every stage of the election. Ninth, discussions on changing the election organising bodies, which Doli said have often been criticised for their professionalism and integrity.
“Well, this will certainly relate to how many members or leaders of the election organisers there actually are, from central to regional levels, and how the selection mechanism is so that they become independent, self-reliant organisers or institutions, impartial, with professional integrity and so on,” he said.
Finally, Doli continued, regarding the resolution of election disputes. For a long time, he has been pushing for the establishment of a special judicial body for election dispute resolution.
“Well, those are some or 10 issues, 5 contemporary and 5 classic, that we will definitely discuss in the deliberation of the election law,” Doli said.
Still in the academic paper drafting stage
Doli explained that until now, the deliberation process for the RUU Pemilu is still in the stage of drafting the academic paper and the bill. Commission II of the DPR had previously scheduled a follow-up meeting to hear a presentation from the Council Expertise Agency (BKD) regarding the progress of drafting the paper.
However, the meeting was postponed for unknown reasons. In fact, from the beginning, he has urged that the deliberation process be accelerated to catch up with the schedule for the organising committee selection team, which will start in August.
“Well, the longer it takes, then what? We should avoid discussing the law in a rush, hastily, just before the election. That means it won’t be objective,” he said.