ELECTIONS IN THE SHADOW OF POLITICAL FE DALISM TOWARDS THE CHALLENGES OF INTEGRITY IN AUTONOMOUS REGIONS

Authors

  • Muhammad Mas Davit Herman Rudiyansah

Abstract

Elections in Indonesia’s autonomous regions are not only an arena for po- litical competition but also a space rife with feudal practices, particularly through dynastic politics and personal loyalties. This paper examines how election regulations work using a normative juridical technique and a so- cio-legal perspective, local political culture, and patronage dynamics influ- ence the integrity of electoral democracy. The results show that dynastic politics thrive due to weak regulations and oversight, and are reinforced by the pragmatic attitudes of political parties that prioritize electability over cadre development. Meanwhile, the community’s personal loyalty to leadership figures, rooted in a paternalistic culture and patron-client net- works, creates serious distortions of the principle of freedom of choice. This condition reduces transparency, accountability, and fairness in elec- tions, while simultaneously narrowing the space for citizen political partici- pation. Therefore, improving election integrity through regulatory reform, strengthening political parties, and public political education is an urgent agenda to ensure that local democracy is more inclusive, accountable, and oriented towards popular sovereignty.

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Published

31-12-2025

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025): Jurnal Etika dan Pemilu

Section

Articles

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