Electoral Law and Representative Democracy in Indonesia

Abstract

This study analyzes the effectiveness of electoral law regulations in supporting representative democracy and examines the urgency of continuously assessing such regulations to strengthen the protection of citizens' political rights. The research employs a normative juridical method using statutory, conceptual, and analytical approaches. Primary legal materials consist of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, Law Number 7 of 2017 on General Elections as amended by Law Number 7 of 2023, and Law Number 2 of 2011 on Political Parties. The analysis is supported by academic literature published over the last five years. The findings indicate that electoral law regulations play a significant role in ensuring legal certainty, protecting political rights, strengthening the political representation system, and enhancing the legitimacy of representative institutions within a democratic framework. Furthermore, the study reveals that continuous examination of electoral regulations is essential to maintain democratic integrity, improve the quality of political representation, support the institutionalization of political parties, and ensure that legal frameworks remain responsive to democratic developments. Therefore, strengthening electoral law constitutes an integral component of efforts to establish a more accountable, inclusive, and rule-of-law-based representative democracy.