Legal Dimensions of Political Communication in the 2024 DPD Election: Ensuring Democratic and Electoral Integrity in Southwest Papua
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Abstract
Political communication has traditionally been examined from the perspectives of communication science and political science, emphasizing campaign strategies, political branding, and voter persuasion. However, contemporary democratic elections require political communication to be evaluated not only for its effectiveness but also for its compliance with electoral law, constitutional democracy, and the principles of electoral integrity. This study examines the political communication of Paul Finsen, the Mayor, during the 2024 Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) election in Southwest Papua from a legal perspective. Employing an empirical legal (socio-legal) approach, the research combines legal analysis of Indonesian electoral regulations with qualitative field data obtained through interviews, observations, and document analysis. The study examines whether political communication practices reflect the principles of legal certainty, equality, transparency, fairness, and democratic participation as guaranteed by Indonesian electoral law. The findings demonstrate that political communication significantly enhanced public political participation through persuasive, culturally adaptive, and issue-oriented approaches that emphasized indigenous rights, education, healthcare, and regional development. More importantly, these communication practices remained consistent with the principles of electoral integrity by avoiding practices that undermine electoral fairness and constitutional rights. The study argues that political communication should no longer be perceived merely as an electoral strategy but rather as a legal instrument supporting democratic legitimacy and constitutional governance. This research contributes to the development of electoral law by integrating political communication theory with constitutional and electoral legal principles, thereby offering a broader framework for evaluating campaign practices in democratic elections.
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