Observer on Election Law Revision: The Process Must Not Be Rushed
Senior political analyst Boni Hargens has expressed his support for the measured approach taken by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, regarding the process of revising the Election Law.
According to Boni, the Election Law is not merely a technical regulation for elections, but a fundamental legal instrument to guarantee the quality of democratic implementation. The improvement of election regulations—whether concerning Presidential, Legislative, or Regional Head elections—is an integral part of the political and legal dynamics aimed at strengthening the presidential democracy currently in place in Indonesia.
“The revision process must not be rushed and must be based on comprehensive considerations involving all stakeholders,” Boni stated in a written statement on Friday, 25 September 2026.
Boni emphasised that lawmakers must be able to formulate legislative provisions that proportionally accommodate two intersecting interests: the demand for broad public participation in democracy on one hand, and the state’s interest in ensuring a strong and sustainable democracy on the other.
“This balance is the main challenge in every process of electoral law reform,” he said.
Boni expressed his confidence that the mindset of Dasco and the entire leadership of the House of Representatives in considering changes to the Election Law is on the right track. The legislature’s patience—in the sense of not rushing to lock in options before all ideas are gathered and thoroughly reviewed—is regarded as a necessary statesmanlike attitude in the context of electoral law reform, which has a wide impact on the entire Indonesian political system.
“The Election Law is a fundamental legal instrument in guaranteeing the quality of democratic implementation. I believe that is the basis of thinking for Professor Dasco and the entire leadership of the DPR in considering these changes to the Election Law, which is why they are not rushing,” he added.