Gerindra Backs Proposal for Regional Leaders to Be Elected by Local Councils

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Gerindra Party supports a proposal to have governors, mayors, and regents elected by regional legislative councils on Monday, Dec 29, 2025 in Jakarta as part of efforts to improve efficiency and reduce the high costs of direct local elections, a move expected to reshape Indonesia’s regional political system. The party said the mechanism remained democratic because council members were elected by voters.

Gerindra Secretary-General Sugiono said the party backed plans to hold regional head elections through local councils at all levels. “Gerindra is in a position to support efforts or plans to conduct regional elections through DPRD at the regent, mayor, and governor levels,” he said in a statement.

Sugiono said elections through local councils would be more efficient than direct voting, covering candidate screening, procedures, time, budgets, and overall political costs. He argued the current system had placed a heavy financial burden on both the state and candidates.

He noted that regional election grants funded by local budgets totaled nearly Rp 7 trillion in 2015 and rose sharply to more than Rp 37 trillion in 2024. “This is an amount that could be used for other, more productive purposes, including efforts to improve public welfare and the people’s economy,” Sugiono said.

Sugiono also highlighted the high campaign costs faced by candidates, which he said often discouraged capable individuals from running for office. “Campaign costs for regional head candidates are prohibitive. This is something we must evaluate so people with real ability to serve society, the nation, and the state can compete without being blocked by extraordinary campaign expenses,” he said.

From a democratic perspective, he argued the mechanism would not weaken accountability, because council members were themselves elected by the public. According to Sugiono, public oversight could even be tighter, as political parties would be directly judged by constituents based on how their representatives voted.

He added that selecting regional leaders through councils could help reduce political polarization that often emerged during direct elections. Gerindra therefore supported in-depth discussion of the proposal involving all stakeholders.

“People must still have access to oversee how their aspirations are channeled through their representatives in the legislature. This process should not become closed,” Sugiono said.