Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies (JSSHRS) · Research article · Open access
Revisiting Regional Head Elections in Indonesia: Direct Elections, Elite Power, And the Limits of Decentralization
Adji Suradji Muhammad, Yeyen Subandi
3 June 2026 · Vol. 2, Issue 6, pp. 695-700
DOI: 10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05
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What is this article about?
The debate regarding regional head elections in Indonesia has tended to be trapped in a dichotomy between direct elections by the people and indirect elections through the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD). This article argues that this dichotomous framework masks deeper structural problems in local democracy.
Article at a glance
- Published
- 3 June 2026
- Volume / issue / pages
- Vol. 2, Issue 6, pp. 695-700
- ISSN
- 3051-3561 (online) · 3051-3553 (print)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to read and reuse with attribution
- Peer review
- Double-blind, at least two independent reviewers
- Publisher
- EP Journals Group
Abstract
The debate regarding regional head elections in Indonesia has tended to be trapped in a dichotomy between direct elections by the people and indirect elections through the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD). This article argues that this dichotomous framework masks deeper structural problems in local democracy. Drawing on the perspectives of democratic theory and political economy, this analysis examines how various regional head election mechanisms interact with elite power, high political costs, and the dynamics of government decentralization. Through a qualitative, comparative, and interpretive approach, this study demonstrates that neither direct elections nor elections through the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) can be understood as inherently democratic or undemocratic. Direct elections tend to generate symbolic legitimacy and high electoral participation, but are often distorted by clientelism, identity mobilization, and oligarchic domination. Conversely, elections through the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) offer procedural efficiency and political stability, but often weaken public legitimacy and strengthen elite control. These findings confirm that changes in election design alone are insufficient to deepen local democracy. Democratic outcomes are more determined by the power relations and institutional capacities that mediate the electoral process. By reviewing regional head elections beyond procedural debates, this article contributes to the discourse on decentralized democratization and elite adaptation in Indonesia.
Keywords: regional head elections, democratic decentralization, elite power, local democracy, Indonesia.
Cite this article
Adji Suradji Muhammad, & Yeyen Subandi (2026). Revisiting Regional Head Elections in Indonesia: Direct Elections, Elite Power, And the Limits of Decentralization. Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies, 2(6), 695-700. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05
@article{Adji2026,
title = {Revisiting Regional Head Elections in Indonesia: Direct Elections, Elite Power, And the Limits of Decentralization},
author = {Adji Suradji Muhammad and Yeyen Subandi},
journal = {Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {6},
pages = {695-700},
doi = {10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05},
url = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05}
}Questions about this article
Who wrote this article?
Adji Suradji Muhammad, Yeyen Subandi.
Where and when was it published?
In Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies, Volume 2, Issue 6, pages 695-700, published by EP Journals Group on 3 June 2026.
Is this article free to read?
Yes. It is open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read, share and reuse it with attribution.
What is the DOI of this article?
10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05 (https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05).
How do I cite this article?
APA: Adji Suradji Muhammad, & Yeyen Subandi (2026). Revisiting Regional Head Elections in Indonesia: Direct Elections, Elite Power, And the Limits of Decentralization. Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies, 2(6), 695-700. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E6/2026-05
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