Constitutional Analysis of Executive Power Limitations in Presidential Systems: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and The United States

Authors

  • Harlina Hamid Universitas Indonesia Timur
  • Nurasia Natsir STIA Yappi Makassar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62951/ijsl.v2i2.570

Keywords:

checks and balances, Constitutional law, executive power, Indonesia, presidential system, separation of powers, United States

Abstract

This research examines the constitutional aspects of executive power limitations in presidential systems by comparing governmental practices in Indonesia and the United States. Through juridical-normative and comparative approaches, this research analyzes constitutional design, jurisprudence, and institutional practices that limit presidential power in both countries. Key findings indicate significant differences in checks and balances mechanisms, with the United States relying on a stricter doctrine of separation of powers compared to Indonesia, which implements power distribution. This research also identifies weaknesses in executive power limitations in Indonesia, particularly concerning legislative authority and the appointment of high-ranking state officials. The results of this research are expected to contribute to strengthening constitutional mechanisms in limiting executive power to prevent abuse of authority.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

J. Asshiddiqie, Constitutional design and democratic innovation: The post-reformasi Indonesian experience, Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1–24, 2022.

S. Butt and T. Lindsey, The Constitution of Indonesia: A Contextual Analysis, 2nd ed. Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2023.

S. G. Calabresi and C. S. Yoo, The Unitary Executive: Presidential Power from Washington to Trump. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2020.

H. Crouch, Political Reform in Indonesia After Soeharto. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2019.

I. Deinla, The Law and Politics of Indonesia's Constitutional Court. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021.

L. Fisher, Presidential War Power, 4th ed. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2022.

T. Ginsburg and A. Z. Huq, How to Save a Constitutional Democracy, 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2023.

D. L. Horowitz, Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia, 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023.

S. Koven, The Separation of Powers: Theories and Supreme Court Decisions. New York: Routledge, 2021.

D. J. Levinson and R. H. Pildes, "Separation of parties, not powers," Harvard Law Review, vol. 137, no. 1, pp. 1–78, 2024.

T. Lindsey, Indonesian Law and Society: Developing Rule of Law in a Developing Nation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022.

M. Mietzner, Money, Power, and Ideology: Political Parties in Post-Authoritarian Indonesia, 2nd ed. Singapore: NUS Press, 2023.

E. A. Posner and A. Vermeule, The Executive Unbound: After the Madisonian Republic, 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.

V. V. Ramraj and A. K. Thiruvengadam, Eds., Emergency Powers in Asia: Exploring the Limits of Legality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.

M. S. Shugart and J. M. Carey, Presidents and Assemblies: Constitutional Design and Electoral Dynamics, 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023.

J. T. Siegel, The Rope of God, 3rd ed. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2020.

G. Silverstein, Law’s Allure: How Law Shapes, Constrains, Saves, and Kills Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023.

C. R. Sunstein, The Cost-Benefit Revolution and Administrative Governance. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2022.

P. J. Tan, "Continuity and change: Executive-legislative relations in post-reform Indonesia," Southeast Asian Studies, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 283–309, 2024.

M. Versteeg and T. Ginsburg, "Measuring the rule of law: A comparison of indicators," Law & Social Inquiry, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 40–88, 2022.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-25

How to Cite

Harlina Hamid, & Nurasia Natsir. (2025). Constitutional Analysis of Executive Power Limitations in Presidential Systems: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and The United States . International Journal of Sociology and Law, 2(2), 23–34. https://doi.org/10.62951/ijsl.v2i2.570