Comparative Study of Political Parties and Legislative Accountability in Indonesia and the United States
Keywords:
Political Parties, Legislative, Check and Balance, IndonesiaAbstract
This research examines the effectiveness of the separation of powers within Indonesia’s presidential
system, focusing on how party loyalty and coalition politics shape the balance between the executive
and legislative branches. Although Indonesia formally adopts the principle of Trias Politica as
enshrined in the 1945 Constitution, in practice the dominance of “fat coalitions” has weakened
legislative oversight. The House of Representatives (DPR), instead of functioning as an institutional
counterbalance, often aligns with the executive due to pragmatic coalition-building, centralized party
control, and patronage politics. This situation contrasts with the United States, where a two-party
system, primary elections, and strict institutional separation grant Congress greater autonomy from the
president, enabling robust oversight but frequently leading to political gridlock. The study employs a
comparative-normative legal analysis of Indonesian and U.S. constitutional practices, highlighting how
structural and cultural differences in party systems affect the principle of checks and balances. The
findings indicate that Indonesia’s coalition-heavy politics ensure stability but at the cost of
accountability, while the U.S. system safeguards accountability but risks governmental paralysis. The
research recommends reforms for Indonesia, including regulating coalition size, reducing centralized
party dominance through more democratic candidate selection, and institutionalizing a stronger role
for opposition parties to restore the effectiveness of legislative oversight.
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