Democratic regression and the rise of electoral illiberalism in Indonesia: A multi-dimensional analysis (1998-2024)

Paryanto, Paryanto; Bachtiar, Hasnan; Faisal, Faisal; Tenorio, Christine B.

doi:10.21831/jc.v23i1.94824

Akses terbuka Jurnal SINTA 1

Democratic regression and the rise of electoral illiberalism in Indonesia: A multi-dimensional analysis (1998-2024)

Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan · Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026) · hlm. 286–300

DOI: 10.21831/jc.v23i1.94824
ISSN: 2541-1918, 1829-5789
Terbit: 2026-04-02
Penerbit: Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
Bahasa: eng
Lisensi: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0

Abstrak

Since the political transition of 1998, Indonesia has been widely regarded as a leading case of democratic consolidation in Southeast Asia. However, recent empirical indicators reveal a persistent decline in civil liberties, political pluralism, and institutional accountability. This article examines whether Indonesia is experiencing democratic regression and investigates the emergence of electoral illiberalism as a durable regime trajectory rather than a temporary fluctuation. Methodologically, this study employs qualitative thematic-narrative analysis, triangulating constitutional amendments, electoral laws, Constitutional Court decisions, and executive regulations with international democracy indices, including the Economist Intelligence Unit and Freedom House, from 1998 to 2024. This approach enables a longitudinal assessment of institutional and normative transformations across key democratic dimensions. The findings demonstrate that democratic regression in Indonesia is not marked by the collapse of electoral competition, but by the weakening of horizontal accountability, erosion of the rule of law through systemic corruption, contraction of civic space, and strategic mobilization of majoritarian identity politics. These dynamics reveal how electoral continuity coexists with substantive democratic erosion. This article contributes to debates on democratic backsliding by showing that Indonesia’s trajectory has consolidated into electoral illiberalism, challenging linear models of democratic consolidation and highlighting the limits of electoral democracy.

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16 penulis · 32 tautan kepenulisan bersama · 21 lintas organisasi

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Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
Islamic University of Riau
Diponegoro University
Universitas Cokroaminoto Yogyakarta
Deakin University
Institut Agama Islam Negeri Fattahul Muluk Papua
Mindanao State University
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Rekan penulis	Organisasi	Artikel bersama
Kukuh Dwi Kurniawan	Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang	2
Irma Cahyaningtyas	Diponegoro University	1
Pujiyono Pujiyono	Diponegoro University	1
Warda Silwana Hikmah	Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang	1
Kasmanto Rinaldi	Islamic University of Riau	1
Lisfarika Napitupulu	Islamic University of Riau	1
Heni Susanti	Islamic University of Riau	1
Khotma Umniah Fahlewi	Islamic University of Riau	1
Yaris Adhial Fajrin	Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang	1
Muhammad Luthfi	Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang	1
Satria Unggul Wicaksana Prakasa	Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya	1
Sholahuddin Al-Fatih	Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang	1

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Sumber metadata: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/civics/oai, pertama di-harvest 9 Nov 2026, terakhir terlihat 9 Nov 2026.

Metadata asli (oai_dc)

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	<dc:title xml:lang="en-US">Democratic regression and the rise of electoral illiberalism in Indonesia:  A multi-dimensional analysis (1998-2024)</dc:title>
	<dc:creator>Paryanto, Paryanto</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Bachtiar, Hasnan</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Faisal, Faisal</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Tenorio, Christine B.</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">democratic regression</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">electoral</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">political democracy</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">reformation</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en-US">Since the political transition of 1998, Indonesia has been widely regarded as a leading case of democratic consolidation in Southeast Asia. However, recent empirical indicators reveal a persistent decline in civil liberties, political pluralism, and institutional accountability. This article examines whether Indonesia is experiencing democratic regression and investigates the emergence of electoral illiberalism as a durable regime trajectory rather than a temporary fluctuation. Methodologically, this study employs qualitative thematic-narrative analysis, triangulating constitutional amendments, electoral laws, Constitutional Court decisions, and executive regulations with international democracy indices, including the Economist Intelligence Unit and Freedom House, from 1998 to 2024. This approach enables a longitudinal assessment of institutional and normative transformations across key democratic dimensions. The findings demonstrate that democratic regression in Indonesia is not marked by the collapse of electoral competition, but by the weakening of horizontal accountability, erosion of the rule of law through systemic corruption, contraction of civic space, and strategic mobilization of majoritarian identity politics. These dynamics reveal how electoral continuity coexists with substantive democratic erosion. This article contributes to debates on democratic backsliding by showing that Indonesia’s trajectory has consolidated into electoral illiberalism, challenging linear models of democratic consolidation and highlighting the limits of electoral democracy.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en-US">Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-04-02</dc:date>
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	<dc:identifier>https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/civics/article/view/94824</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.21831/jc.v23i1.94824</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en-US">Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan; Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026); 286-300</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2541-1918</dc:source>
	<dc:source>1829-5789</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/civics/article/view/94824/25266</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">Copyright (c) 2026 Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
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