PDIP on Constitutional Court Ruling: No More Discourse on Regional Elections via DPRD

The Executive Chairman of the PDIP Election Victory Body (Bappilu), Deddy Yevry Sitorus, has emphasised that there is no longer any discussion regarding regional elections (pilkada) via the DPRD.

This statement was made by Deddy in response to the Constitutional Court (MK) ruling, which affirms that regional elections must continue to be held directly and chosen by the people.

“There is no longer any discourse [on elections via DPRD]; the Constitutional Court’s decision is clear,” said Deddy when contacted on Wednesday (1/7).

The member of Commission II of the DPR, covering politics and governance, assessed that the Constitutional Court’s decision aligns with the spirit of reformation, regional autonomy, and current applicable laws.

According to Deddy, the PDIP has rejected proposals for regional heads to be elected indirectly or via the DPRD from the very beginning. Therefore, the Constitutional Court’s ruling should effectively close the chapter on such discourse.

“Our stance since that discourse emerged has been firm: regional heads must be directly elected in accordance with the law, the spirit of reformation, and the will of the people,” he said.

In its ruling on Monday (29/6), the Constitutional Court affirmed that the principle of direct regional elections remains in place. The Court stated that the petition to review Article 1, point 1 of Law Number 8 of 2015 concerning the Election of Governors, Regents, and Mayors (the Regional Election Law) could not be accepted.

“This is in accordance with the general principles of elections, while continuing to recognise and respect local government units that possess special or extraordinary status,” stated the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Suhartoyo.