Analysis Of the Existence of Political Dynasties in Village Head Elections in Indonesia

Abstract

Political dynasties in Indonesia have been known since the era of hereditary kingdoms, the old order, the new order, and continued into the reform era. A political dynasty is defined as a political power exercised by a group of people who are still bound by family relations. Political dynasty is considered as one aspect that can influence the process of democratization, representation and accountability in local leadership. This research aims to analyze the phenomenon of political dynasties in the context of Village Head elections in Indonesia. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive methods.  The research results show that political dynasties in village head elections in Indonesia are influenced by several key factors. The research highlights the unclear legal rules after the Constitutional Court decision no. 33/PUU-XIII/2015, which provides an opening for dynastic political practices without clear control. Village institutions that are not yet democratic are also a major factor, allowing recruitment of village head candidates to be elitist and creating inequality in access to opportunities to become village head candidates. In addition, the strength of social networks, both formal and informal, has been shown to play an important role in forming political dynasties. The findings of this research provide insight into the impact of political dynasties on democracy and governance at the local level, indicating the need for reform in the village head election system to increase the inclusiveness, accountability and responsiveness of village leadership.