Abstract
This paper examines the juridical analysis of the effectiveness of the parliamentary threshold policy in simplifying Indonesia’s party system. Since the Reform Era, Indonesia has experienced a high degree of party fragmentation, which has often resulted in unstable coalition governments and ineffective legislative performance. To address this, the parliamentary threshold (parliamentary threshold) has been introduced as an electoral mechanism aimed at reducing the number of political parties in the House of Representatives (DPR).
The study explores three main aspects: (1) the effectiveness of the parliamentary threshold in reducing party fragmentation in the parliament, (2) the challenges and problems arising from the policy, including the potential discrimination against small parties and the marginalization of minority representation, and (3) the juridical analysis of whether the increase in the parliamentary threshold aligns with the principles of constitutional democracy, fair elections, and citizens’ constitutional rights.
The findings suggest that while the parliamentary threshold has proven effective in reducing the number of parties represented in parliament, its implementation raises constitutional concerns regarding political representation and equality of citizens’ votes. Judicial reviews by the Constitutional Court indicate that the threshold is permissible as long as it serves the objective of creating effective governance, but it must remain proportional and not undermine democratic principles.
This paper concludes that the future formulation of the parliamentary threshold policy should balance the need for party system simplification with the protection of citizens’ political rights. Alternative approaches, such as electoral incentives, party governance reforms, and affirmative measures for minority groups, are recommended as additional measures to strengthen democracy and make it more inclusive for all.
Keywords: parliamentary threshold, party system, constitutional democracy, political representation, juridical analysis.
Abstrak
Makalah ini mengkaji analisis yuridis terhadap efektivitas kebijakan ambang batas parlemen dalam penyederhanaan sistem kepartaian di Indonesia. Pasca Reformasi, Indonesia menghadapi fragmentasi partai politik yang tinggi, sehingga sering menimbulkan instabilitas koalisi pemerintahan serta menghambat efektivitas kerja legislasi. Untuk menjawab persoalan tersebut, diterapkan kebijakan ambang batas parlemen (parliamentary threshold) sebagai instrumen elektoral guna menyederhanakan jumlah partai politik di Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) agar tercipta efektivitas kerja legislasi.
Kajian ini menitikberatkan pada tiga aspek utama: (1) efektivitas ambang batas parlemen dalam menekan fragmentasi partai di parlemen, (2) kendala dan permasalahan yang ditimbulkan, termasuk potensi diskriminasi terhadap partai kecil dan terpinggirkannya representasi kelompok minoritas, serta (3) analisis yuridis mengenai kesesuaian peningkatan ambang batas parlemen dengan prinsip demokrasi konstitusional, asas keadilan pemilu, dan hak konstitusional warga negara.
Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa meskipun ambang batas parlemen terbukti efektif dalam mengurangi jumlah partai di parlemen, penerapannya menimbulkan persoalan konstitusional terkait representasi politik dan kesetaraan suara rakyat. Putusan-putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi menegaskan bahwa kebijakan ini konstitusional sepanjang ditujukan untuk menciptakan efektivitas pemerintahan, namun harus tetap bersifat proporsional serta tidak boleh mengabaikan prinsip kedaulatan rakyat.
Makalah ini menyimpulkan bahwa perumusan kebijakan ambang batas parlemen di masa mendatang harus memperhatikan keseimbangan antara tujuan penyederhanaan sistem kepartaian dengan perlindungan hak politik rakyat. Alternatif solusi, seperti pemberian insentif politik, reformasi tata kelola partai, dan mekanisme afirmatif bagi kelompok minoritas, disarankan sebagai langkah tambahan untuk membuat demokrasi lebih kuat dan merangkul semua kalangan.
Kata Kunci: ambang batas parlemen, sistem kepartaian, demokrasi konstitusional, representasi politik, analisis yuridis.
