Designing Open-list Proportional Representation System in Indonesia’s Legislative Election during the Global Pandemic Era

DOI

10.2991/aebmr.k.220209.003How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Open-list Proportional Representation (Open-list PR); Legislative Election; Indonesia; Global Pandemic

Abstract

This article evaluates the application of Open-list Proportional Representation (Open-list PR) system in Indonesia’s legislative election, and, in turn, proposes the modified design to be applied in further legislative elections, mainly in the global pandemic era. Methodologically, it is qualitative research by applying the multiple case approach. Thus, this research relies on the field data collected from the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and in-depth interviews with the Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), political parties, and scientists in the higher education institutions or Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). They are spreading in five provinces and seven cities/regencies across Indonesia. The finding reveals that Open-list PR has prospective compatibility with the framework of embedded democracy. It is supported by evidence that positive trends of Open-list PR are more over negative trends. Nevertheless, this system needs to address these negative trends: electoral malpractices; electoral violations; money politics; the absence of the candidate’s competence, integrity, ideology; and the influential role of financial owners. A proposed design is set up, i.e., the limitation of the EMBs period, the deterrent punishment for perpetrators, the legal certainty for whistleblowers, the application of merit system of candidacy mechanism nominated by political parties, the restriction and supervision of the campaign financing, the need of the independent EMBs. In the recent pandemic situation, the design of a single ballot paper is a breakthrough. It is effective, able to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and prospective to reduce invalid ballot papers. Scheduling the voters’ attendance at the polling station is also a need.

Copyright

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press International B.V.

Open Access

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Ridho Al-Hamdi
AU  - Sakir Sakir
AU  - Tanto Lailam
AU  - M. Edward Trias Pahlevi
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/03/01
TI  - Designing Open-list Proportional Representation System in Indonesia’s Legislative Election during the Global Pandemic Era
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Public Organization (ICONPO 2021)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 12
EP  - 23
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/aebmr.k.220209.003
DO  - 10.2991/aebmr.k.220209.003
ID  - Al-Hamdi2022
ER  -