Electoral constitutionalism: A comparative study of electoral systems in Southeast Asian countries
Keywords:
Electoral Constitutionalism, Elections, Constitutional Law, ASEAN, Democracy, Comparative StudyAbstract
This study examines the implementation of electoral constitutionalism in Southeast Asian electoral systems and its implications for democratic consolidation. Focusing on Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, the research adopts a normative-juridical approach combined with comparative legal analysis of constitutions, electoral laws, and constitutional practices. Particular attention is given to the principles of popular sovereignty, electoral justice, voting rights, and the role of constitutional institutions in safeguarding electoral integrity. The findings reveal that while the four countries uphold constitutional guarantees of free and fair elections through diverse electoral models majoritarian, proportional, and mixed systems they continue to face persistent challenges. These include politicization of electoral institutions, unequal access to suffrage, and weak constitutional oversight. Despite reform efforts aimed at greater transparency and inclusiveness, the gap between constitutional norms and political practice remains significant. This study contributes to the scholarly discourse on electoral constitutionalism as a cornerstone of democracy in Southeast Asia and provides normative recommendations to strengthen electoral systems within the framework of constitutional supremacy and regional integration.
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