Politics · Indonesia · 15 hrs ago
Petition asks Indonesia’s court to extend local lawmakers’ terms to 2031
Three law students have asked Indonesia’s Constitutional Court to extend the terms of local lawmakers elected in 2024.
The case concerns members of provincial and district or city councils across Indonesia.
A 2024 court ruling separated national and local elections from 2029, with local elections due at least two years after the national vote and expected no earlier than 2031.
The lawmakers’ current terms are due to end in 2029, before those local elections take place.
The students say the gap could leave council seats vacant, interrupting local representation, while an extension would need a clear legal basis.
They want the terms to last until the newly elected council members are sworn in, but the court has not ruled on the request.
The court has asked them to strengthen their arguments by 26 October 2026.
Three University of Gadjah Mada law students have asked Indonesia’s Constitutional Court to extend the terms of local lawmakers elected in 2024 until their successors take office after local elections in 2031.
The petition challenges provisions of the 2014 law governing the national and regional legislatures.
The petitioners say the 2024 lawmakers’ five-year terms are due to end in 2029, before the next local elections are expected.
They warn that the gap could leave local legislatures vacant, while an extension would need a clear legal basis and limits.
The court has asked the petitioners to strengthen their arguments and given them until 26 October 2026 to revise the application.
- Who
- Three master’s students from the law faculty of Gadjah Mada University: Muhammad Zulfan Raghibie, Jaif Saputra and M. Khairu Mamnun.
- What
- They asked the Constitutional Court to interpret the law so local lawmakers elected in 2024 remain in office until their successors elected in 2031 take their oaths.
- When
- The court held the first hearing on 12 October 2026. The articles were published on 12 and 13 October 2026.
- Where
- The Constitutional Court in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Why
- They say lawmakers’ terms are due to end in 2029, before the next local elections expected in 2031, creating uncertainty over how seats will be filled.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Local lawmakers were elected, with terms that the petitioners say are due to end in 2029.
The Constitutional Court issued decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024, separating national and local elections starting in 2029.
The Constitutional Court held the first hearing on the petition.
The deadline set by the court for the petitioners to revise their arguments.
- Petition number
- 374/PUU-XXIV/2026
- Challenged law
- Law No. 17 of 2014, known as the MD3 Law
- Challenged provisions
- Articles 318(4) and 367(4)
- Terms at issue
- Local lawmakers elected in 2024 are due to serve five years, ending in 2029
- Requested end date
- When the local lawmakers elected in 2031 take their oaths
- Revision deadline
- 26 October 2026
What people are saying
In this application, the petitioners are challenging only Article 318 paragraph (4) and Article 367 paragraph (4) of the MD3 Law, which concern the terms of provincial and regency/city DPRD members.
Sources
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