Local Chief Executive Political Accountability In Indonesia: A Historical-Legal Analysis, Constitutional Review, Volume 10, Number 1, May 2024

By Ahsanul Minan, Satya Arinanto, and Djohermansyah Djohan

Abstract

This paper discusses the local chief executives’ (LCE) political accountability in the Local Government Acts (LGAs). Using historical and theoretical approaches, this article examines the influence of the political interests of the various national regimes on the changes in provisions on LCEs’ political accountability in the LGAs from 1945 to date. The LCE was accountable to the local council (DPRD) from 1945-1958 and 1999-2004; and to the central government from 1959-1998. On the other hand since 2004, LCEs have only had to report to – but have not been accountable to – the Central Government, local councils and the local community. Two important academic questions arise when dealing with this phenomenon. First, to what extent are the political interests of the democratic and authoritarian regimes shaped by the changes in provisions on LCE political accountability in the LGAs? Second, how do the provisions conform to the accountability principles? …

We recommend precise arrangements on the accountability principle in the Constitution to avoid the politicization of laws by legislators according to their political interests, and improve the role of citizens through a recall petition to strengthen the enforcement mechanisms.

Ahsanul Minan is a Doctoral student in the Constitutional Law program at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia; Lecturer at the Law Department, Faculty of Law, University of Nahdlatul Ulama Indonesia; Satya Arinanto is a Lecture at the Constitutional Law Department, Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia; Djohermansyah Djohan is a Lecture at The Faculty of Political Government, Internal Affairs Governance Institute (IPDN)

Based on Constitutional Review, Volume 10, Number 1, May 2024, P-ISSN: 2460-0016 (print), E-ISSN: 2548-3870 (online) https://doi.org/10.31078/consrev1012

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