Coalition Expansion and Digital Democracy in Indonesia: Comparative Perspectives from Southeast Asia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66277/jldc.v1i1.43Keywords:
Digital democracy, coalition politics, multiparty presidentialism, democratic governanceAbstract
Indonesia’s presidential system operates within a fragmented multiparty political structure that continuously shapes coalition formation and democratic governance. In practice, presidents frequently consolidate political support by incorporating political parties and former electoral rivals into governing coalitions, thereby creating oversized coalitions that affect the effectiveness of parliamentary opposition and democratic checks and balances. This study examines the relationship between coalition formation, opposition dynamics, and digital democracy within Indonesia’s multiparty presidential system while providing comparative perspectives from the Philippines and Thailand. This research employs a normative legal method using statutory, historical, and conceptual approaches, supported by qualitative analysis of political and constitutional practices. The findings reveal that coalition expansion has become a dominant political strategy for maintaining governmental stability and securing legislative support, particularly during the administrations of Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto. However, the incorporation of opposition parties into executive coalitions has weakened the institutional role of parliamentary opposition and strengthened executive dominance. The study further demonstrates that digital democracy has transformed political participation by enabling citizens to engage more actively in political discourse, monitor government policies, and criticize coalition practices through digital platforms. Comparative analysis indicates that similar patterns of coalition pragmatism and weakened opposition are also evident in the Philippines and Thailand, although these developments are shaped by distinct political and institutional contexts.
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