Challenges and the direction of legal politics after the abolition of the presidential threshold in Indonesia’s democratic system
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Oct 30, 2025
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Democracy, Electoral Syestem, Legal Politics, Political Paricipacion, Presidential Threshold
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Abstract
The abolition of the Presidential Threshold in Indonesia's presidential election system has significant implications for the configuration of political power, the dynamics of the party system, and the direction of national legal politics. The presidential threshold has long been regarded as a political instrument that restricts democratic space, limits citizen participation, and strengthens party oligarchy. In practice, the threshold has hindered the emergence of alternative candidates outside major coalitions, resulting in stagnation in national leadership regeneration. Once this provision is abolished either through judicial rulings or legislative reform Indonesia faces a major challenge in maintaining a balance between political openness and governmental stability. This article aims to examine the political and legal challenges following the abolition of the threshold and to formulate a relevant legal-political direction within the context of constitutional democracy. Using a qualitative approach through normative-juridical methods and legal-political analysis, this study finds that the abolition of the threshold must be accompanied by electoral system reform, the strengthening of democratic institutions, and the development of a presidential candidate selection mechanism that is democratic, accountable, and responsive to public aspirations. Future legal politics must serve as an instrument for the transformation of substantive democracy, rather than merely adapting to procedural changes.
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Zayyanurroihan, M. ., Mulyadi, A. ., & Arif, M. Z. . (2025). Challenges and the direction of legal politics after the abolition of the presidential threshold in Indonesia’s democratic system. Journal of Law Science, 7(4), 611-619. https://doi.org/10.35335/jls.v7i4.6611
References
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Febriyanto, Lawanda, I. I., & Rahmi. (2025). Missing persons document management as disaster response: the case of handling missing persons in Timor Leste. Archival Science, 25(3), 26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10502-025-09496-8
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Shadiqi, M. A., Putra, I. E., Rizqullah, M. F., I’anah, N., Milla, M. N., & Muluk, H. (2025). Negative attitudes toward opposing supporters: The mediation effect of collective narcissism among Muslim supporters in the 2019 Indonesian presidential election. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 25(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.70013
Sultoni Fikri, Muhammad Firmansyah, and Vina Sabina, “Penguatan Sistem Presidensial Melalui Penerapan Ambang Batas Parlementary Threshold,” Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Sigli 6, no. 2 (2023): 511–20, https://doi.org/10.47647/jsh.v6i2.1685.
Suryana, A., Alviano, I., Ruchma Algiffary, G., & Arisandi, B. (2025). Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and Political In(tolerance) among Islamists in Jakarta. Jurnal Ilmu Sosial Dan Ilmu Politik, 28(2), 181. https://doi.org/10.22146/jsp.96246
Syafriadi, & Santri, S. H. (2025). Press Freedom and Its Relevance to the Theory of People’s Sovereignty In the Indonesian Legal Regime. Prophetic Law Review, 47–69. https://doi.org/10.20885/PLR.vol7.iss1.art3
Umagapi, J. L. (2022). Wacana Penghapusan Presidential Threshold. Info Singkat: Pusat Penelitian Badan Keahlian DPR RI, 14(6), 25–30.
Wijaya, B. S. (2025). Discursive analysis of rejection voices against brand social responsibility initiatives in Indonesia. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 60. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04337-y
Yandra, A., Faridhi, A., Asnawi, E., Setiawan, H., . S., & Yasir, I. M. (2024). How Can the Foundations of Democracy be Weakened? Case Study of Inaccuracy and Independency of Election Data in Indonesia. Journal of Ecohumanism, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v4i1.5293
Yani, A. (2025). Relasi Kelembagaan dan Pertanggungjawaban Lembaga Negara terhadap Pelaksanaan Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi. Jurnal Konstitusi, 22(2), 313–331. https://doi.org/10.31078/jk2225
Zada, K., Arsadani, Q., Saepullah, S., & Sugito, M. S. (2023). Sharia and Monarchs in Southeast Asia: Political Legitimation in Brunei Darussalam. Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam, 7(3), 1827. https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v7i3.17736
Zainal, A., Zainal, M. A., Rustan, A. S., Rezki, A., Syam, A. P. H., & Setianingsih, D. (2025). Navigating Politics: How Non-Elite Women in Eastern Indonesia Counteract Dynastic Power. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(2), 781–812. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.2088
Zuhdi, A., Suparman, E., Perwira, I., & Nguindip, N. C. (2025). Presidential Partisanship in Indonesian Elections: A Legal and Ethical Analysis. Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan, 13(1), 168–186. https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v13i1.1635
Zulfan, Marpaung, J. L., Rangkuti, R., Lubis, A. P., & Chaldun, W. (2025). A Dynamic Simulation and Network Analysis of Hate Speech Propagation on Social Media: Integrating Mathematical Modeling and Digital Humanities. International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, 15(5). https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsse.150507
Abou-Chadi, T., & Krause, W. (2020). The causal effect of radical right success on mainstream parties’ policy positions: A regression discontinuity approach. In British Journal of Political Science (Vol. 50, Issue 3). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123418000029
Ambarwati, S. D., Saifulloh, M. R., & Aritonang, S. M. S. (2020). Rekonstruksi Sistem Presidential Threshold dalam Sistem Pemilu di Indonesia (Studi Perbandingan Sistem Presidential Threshold Indonesia dan Brazil). Jurnal Hukum Lex Generalis., 1(5), 80–95.
Amelia Haryanti, “Persepsi Masyarakat Terhadap Etika Politik Calon Presiden Dan Wakil Presiden Periode 2024-2029” 15, no. 1 (2024): 1–19, https://doi.org/10.22212/jp.v15i1.4208.
Anindya, R., & Musaffa, M. U. A. (2021). Presidential Threshold: Pengaruh Penerapannya dalam Perkembangan Demokrasi Indonesia. IN RIGHT: Jurnal Agama Dan Hak Azazi Manusia, 10(2), 269. https://doi.org/10.14421/inright.v10i2.2942
Ariyadi, A. (2024). Politik Hukum Presidential Threshold Sebagai Bentuk Pembatasan Partai Politik. Jurnal Kewarganegaraan, 8(1), 1069–1075.
Febriyanto, Lawanda, I. I., & Rahmi. (2025). Missing persons document management as disaster response: the case of handling missing persons in Timor Leste. Archival Science, 25(3), 26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10502-025-09496-8
Fikri, S., Firmansyah, M., & Sabina, V. (2023). Penguatan Sistem Presidensial Melalui Penerapan Ambang Batas Parlementary Threshold. Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Sigli, 6(2), 511–520. https://doi.org/10.47647/jsh.v6i2.1685
Hanan, D., Sulistianing Astuti, T., & Eddyono, L. W. (2025). Electoral Reform Through the Indonesian Constitutional Court: Constitutionality of Presidential Candidacy Threshold in Indonesia. Jurnal Konstitusi, 22(2), 260–292. https://doi.org/10.31078/jk2223
Haryanti, A. (2024). Persepsi Masyarakat Terhadap Etika Politik Calon Presiden dan Wakil Presiden Periode 2024-2029. 15(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.22212/jp.v15i1.4208
Haryanto, S., & Muslih, M. (2025). The Contribution of Transpersonal Psychology to The Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Well-Being of Individuals. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.25217/0020258549000
Krumm, T., & Regalia, M. (2022). Majority versus proportionality?: Trajectories of electoral reform in the Mediterranean. Zeitschrift Fur Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12286-022-00548-2
Malik, A., Rahim, A., & Taufiqurachman, T. (2023). Urgensi Etika Politik Menurut Ibnu Khaldun dalam Implementasinya di Indonesia. JIIP-Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Pendidikan, 6(5), 3599-3610.
Maulidi, M. A. (2025). Tafsir Konstitusional: Kriteria Pembentukan Peraturan Pemerintah Pengganti Undang-Undang dalam Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi (2003-2023). Jurnal Konstitusi, 22(2), 293–312. https://doi.org/10.31078/jk2224
Meutia, R., Saragih, A., & Husein, R. (2025). A Critical Discourse Analysis on English Digital Posters of Pre-Presidential Candidates in Indonesia. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(6). https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i6.8985
Muhammad Mutawalli Mukhlis, Bin Paidi, Z., Masum, A., Hasan, H., & Arowosaiye, Y. I. (2025). DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES BY THE STATE: FROM OLIGARCHY TO DEMOCRATIZATION IN INDONESIA. PETITA: JURNAL KAJIAN ILMU HUKUM DAN SYARIAH, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.22373/petita.v10i1.767
Rifka Anindya and Muhammad Ulul Albab Musaffa, “Presidential Threshold: Pengaruh Penerapannya Dalam Perkembangan Demokrasi Indonesia,” IN RIGHT: Jurnal Agama Dan Hak Azazi Manusia 10, no. 2 (2021): 269, https://doi.org/10.14421/inright.v10i2.2942.
Shadiqi, M. A., Putra, I. E., Rizqullah, M. F., I’anah, N., Milla, M. N., & Muluk, H. (2025). Negative attitudes toward opposing supporters: The mediation effect of collective narcissism among Muslim supporters in the 2019 Indonesian presidential election. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 25(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.70013
Sultoni Fikri, Muhammad Firmansyah, and Vina Sabina, “Penguatan Sistem Presidensial Melalui Penerapan Ambang Batas Parlementary Threshold,” Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Sigli 6, no. 2 (2023): 511–20, https://doi.org/10.47647/jsh.v6i2.1685.
Suryana, A., Alviano, I., Ruchma Algiffary, G., & Arisandi, B. (2025). Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and Political In(tolerance) among Islamists in Jakarta. Jurnal Ilmu Sosial Dan Ilmu Politik, 28(2), 181. https://doi.org/10.22146/jsp.96246
Syafriadi, & Santri, S. H. (2025). Press Freedom and Its Relevance to the Theory of People’s Sovereignty In the Indonesian Legal Regime. Prophetic Law Review, 47–69. https://doi.org/10.20885/PLR.vol7.iss1.art3
Umagapi, J. L. (2022). Wacana Penghapusan Presidential Threshold. Info Singkat: Pusat Penelitian Badan Keahlian DPR RI, 14(6), 25–30.
Wijaya, B. S. (2025). Discursive analysis of rejection voices against brand social responsibility initiatives in Indonesia. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 60. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04337-y
Yandra, A., Faridhi, A., Asnawi, E., Setiawan, H., . S., & Yasir, I. M. (2024). How Can the Foundations of Democracy be Weakened? Case Study of Inaccuracy and Independency of Election Data in Indonesia. Journal of Ecohumanism, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v4i1.5293
Yani, A. (2025). Relasi Kelembagaan dan Pertanggungjawaban Lembaga Negara terhadap Pelaksanaan Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi. Jurnal Konstitusi, 22(2), 313–331. https://doi.org/10.31078/jk2225
Zada, K., Arsadani, Q., Saepullah, S., & Sugito, M. S. (2023). Sharia and Monarchs in Southeast Asia: Political Legitimation in Brunei Darussalam. Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam, 7(3), 1827. https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v7i3.17736
Zainal, A., Zainal, M. A., Rustan, A. S., Rezki, A., Syam, A. P. H., & Setianingsih, D. (2025). Navigating Politics: How Non-Elite Women in Eastern Indonesia Counteract Dynastic Power. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(2), 781–812. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.2088
Zuhdi, A., Suparman, E., Perwira, I., & Nguindip, N. C. (2025). Presidential Partisanship in Indonesian Elections: A Legal and Ethical Analysis. Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan, 13(1), 168–186. https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v13i1.1635
Zulfan, Marpaung, J. L., Rangkuti, R., Lubis, A. P., & Chaldun, W. (2025). A Dynamic Simulation and Network Analysis of Hate Speech Propagation on Social Media: Integrating Mathematical Modeling and Digital Humanities. International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, 15(5). https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsse.150507
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