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Abstract

The Constitutional Court of Indonesia plays significant role in securing democracy in Indonesia. In exercising their authorities, including the election result dispute and judicial review, the Court continues to affirm institutional judicial legitimacy and pursue their role to guard 1945 Constitution. The first Chief Justice Jimly Asshiddiqie showed how within five years of the Court’s establishment, he could strategically maximize its momentum and build the Court as a respectful institution. The Chief Justice Mahfud M D was then elected to reduce the judicial activism started by Jimly’s bench. However, against promises and expectations, Mahfud M D brought the Court to a level far beyond the imagination of the Constitution drafters. Parliament and President tried to limit the Court’s authority, not ones, and the Court was able to overcome those constrain. Current various available studies observed only how the Court issued their decisions and solely focus to the impact of the decisions. Scholars slightly ignore other constitutional actors in studying about the Court. In fact, political environment where the Court operated is one of the most important aspects which strengthen the Court’s institutional legitimacy. This paper attempts to discover the rise of the Court from political environment view outside the court. Political parties’ maturity and political constraint are the key factors that support the development of the Court’s institutional power.

Bahasa Abstract

Mahkamah Konstitusi Republik Indonesia (Mahkamah) memerankan peran yang signifikan dalam mengawal demokrasi di Indonesia. Dalam menjalankan kewenangannya, termasuk di dalamnya penyelesaian sengketa tentang hasil pemilihan umum dan pengujian undang-undang terhadap Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945, Mahkamah terus membangun legitimasi institutisinya dalam menjalankan peran sebagai pengawal Konstitusi 1945. Ketua Mahkamah yang pertama, Jimly Asshiddiqie, menunjukkan bagaimana dalam jangka waktu lima tahun dari pendirian Mahkamah, beliau dapat secara strategis memaksimalkan momentum pendirian ini dan membangun Mahkamah sebagai institusi yang dihormati. Kemudian Mahfud M D dipilih sebagai Ketua Mahkamah, dengan maksud untuk mengurangi kegiatan yudisial yang dimulai oleh Jimly dan jajarannya. Namun demikian, berlawanan dengan janji-janji dan harapan-harapan, Mahfud M D justu membawa Mahkamah ke tingkat yang jauh lebih tinggi dari yang semula dibayangkan oleh para pencetus pendirian Mahkamah. Perwakilan Rakyat dan Presiden kemudian mencoba untuk membatasi kewenangan Mahkamah, namun Mahkamah berhasil mengatasi hambatan-hambatan tersebut. Berbagai studi atas Mahkamah saat ini hanya meneliti bagaimana Mahkamah mengeluarkan putusan-putusan dan hanya berfokus pada dampak putusan-putusan tersebut serta acap kali mengesampingkan aktor-aktor konstitusional lainnya. Faktanya, situasi politik di mana Mahkamah berada saat itu merupakan salah satu hal yang terpenting yang dapat memperkuat legitimasi insitusional Mahkamah. Artikel ini mencoba untuk menemukan kebangkitan Mahkamah dari sudut pandang situasi politik di luar Mahkamah. Kedewasaan partai-partai politik dan kendala politis merupakan kunci yang mendukung perkembangan kewenangan institusional Mahkamah.

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