Strengthening the Legislative Role of the Regional Representative Council Through the Reconstruction of the Institutional Function of the People's Consultative Assembly

Constitutional reform following the amendments to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia has significantly reshaped the national state system, particularly in the configuration of legislative power. Despite the formal adoption of the checks and balances principle, legislative practice in Indonesia continues to reflect an imbalance between the People's Representative Council (DPR) and the Regional Representative Council (DPD). The DPR retains dominant authority in law-making, while the DPD’s role remains limited and largely consultative. This condition reveals a gap between the constitutional ideal of bicameralism and its institutional realization, resulting in suboptimal representation of regional interests. This research examines the ideal institutionalization of the legislative function within Indonesia’s constitutional framework by addressing the weakness of the DPD in the legislative process. The study employs normative legal research methods using statutory, conceptual, and comparative institutional approaches, drawing lessons from bicameral systems in other constitutional democracies.The findings demonstrate that Indonesia’s current legislative structure does not fully embody balanced representation or an effective distribution of legislative authority. The marginal position of the DPD reduces its capacity to function as a meaningful representative body for regional aspirations, thereby weakening democratic participation. To address this imbalance, the study proposes a reconstruction of the legislative chamber system by strengthening the DPD’s role proportionally and repositioning the legislative function within the MPR as an institutional forum where the DPR and DPD jointly exercise legislative authority. This reconstruction contributes to the development of a more democratic, participatory, and just legislative system grounded in comprehensive representation within a constitutional state.