Indonesia's Constitutional Court Upholds Direct Election of Regional Heads

The Mahkamah Konstitusi (Constitutional Court) ruled that governors, regents and mayors must continue to be chosen directly by the electorate, rejecting proposals for indirect selection via regional legislatures. The decision, cited as MK No. 195/PUU‑XXIV/2026, was described by the court as final and binding.

Student organisations and parliamentarians welcomed the ruling. PMII Curup chair Abdul Kohar said, “We respect the decision of the Constitutional Court as final and binding.” HMI Curup chief M. Pikri Anandi echoed the call for better voter education and a crackdown on money politics. DPR Speaker Puan Maharani and Deputy Chair of Commission II Bahtra Banong also affirmed respect for the judgment, noting that the DPR will prioritize the pending electoral law reform and has no immediate plans to amend the Pilkada law.

The consensus across these bodies emphasizes safeguarding democratic participation while shifting legislative focus to broader election legislation.