PKB Chair Welcomes Constitutional Court Ruling to Boost Women's Parliamentary Representation

PKB Central Leadership Council Chair Nihayatul Wafiroh (Ninik) welcomed the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the 30% female representation quota for legislative elections. She stated the decision enhances the prospects for advancing women’s rights in parliament.

“PKB welcomes the Constitutional Court’s ruling on female representation. In practice, this commitment has long been upheld by PKB and continues to be strengthened from election to election,” Ninik said in a written statement on Wednesday (27 May 2026).

The chair of PKB’s women’s wing said increasing women’s participation in politics is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and representative democracy. She added that her party provides ample opportunities for female cadres to participate in national and regional politics.

However, Ninik noted that raising public awareness about the importance of female parliamentary representation is a shared responsibility. She stated this duty cannot rest solely on political parties.

“Public awareness of the significance of female representatives in parliament must be a collective movement. It is not enough for political parties to bear this responsibility alone; broader societal support is also required,” she said.

She argued that greater numbers of women in parliament would create more opportunities to optimally advocate for women’s rights through policy and legislation.

“Greater female representation in parliament will significantly enhance the ability to advance women’s aspirations and rights in tangible ways,” she concluded.

Previously, the Constitutional Court ruled that the 30% female representation quota for DPR/DPRD candidates in elections must be strictly adhered to. The court stated parties that fail to meet the 30% female candidate quota would be disqualified or excluded from the election in the relevant electoral district.

The court’s ruling was detailed in Decision 128/PUU-XXIV/2026, delivered on Monday (25 May). The case was filed by Maya Novita Sari, Imas Dion Febriani, Cahya Camila Evanglin, and Fatati Nailul Munadia, who sought a ruling that Article 245 of Law No. 7 of 2017 on Elections was unconstitutional under the 1945 Constitution, as it did not specify sanctions for parties violating the quota.

In the ruling, the Constitutional Court amended the wording of Article 245 of Law No. 7/2017 on Elections. The decision states: “Article 245 of Law No. 7 of 2017 on Elections is declared unconstitutional under the 1945 Constitution and is conditionally binding only if interpreted as follows: the list of candidates as per Article 243 must include at least 30% female representation, and if this quota is not met, the KPU, Provincial KPU, and District/City KPU must disqualify or exclude the political party from the election in the relevant electoral district.” Previously, the article stated: “The list of candidates as per Article 243 must include at least 30% female representation.”