This study aims to explore the legal aspects of women's political participation from a gender perspective, emphasizing the problem of the gap between regulation and implementation in legal practice in Indonesia, as well as the obstacles faced by women in achieving an equal position in politics. This study is motivated by the ongoing gap in political participation between men and women in various countries, including Indonesia, which can be seen from the lack of women in important decision-making at the local and national levels. Women's representation in the public sphere, especially in politics and decision-making, has been regulated in various regulations, such as the Election Law and the 30% quota Affirmative Action Policy. However, in practice, these regulations often do not achieve the expected goals due to structural and cultural obstacles, and minimal sanctions for non-compliance. This study finds that although there has been normative progress in building a legal framework that supports women's participation, its implementation is still weak due to various obstacles, including gender-biased legal interpretations, patriarchal dominance in the political system, and the lack of effective monitoring mechanisms. The main contribution of this study lies in the in-depth analysis of the gap between the regulation and practice of women's representation. Using a normative and sociological legal approach, this study offers a new perspective in understanding this problem, not only as a legal issue but also as a structural and cultural problem that requires multidimensional intervention. This study also provides concrete recommendations to strengthen law enforcement and ensure that affirmative policies can run effectively, such as improving legal sanctions, increasing the capacity of supervisory institutions, and ongoing gender education. Uniquely, this study contributes to the legal literature and practice by providing a comprehensive roadmap to address the gap in the implementation of affirmative policies in women's representation. Furthermore, this study emphasizes that improving the gender-responsive legal system is not only a normative need but also a prerequisite for creating substantive justice in Indonesian society.

This article aims to discuss the strengthening of the position of The Regional Representative Council (DPD) In the Indonesian constitutional system, as a representative institution region. The Regional Representative Council (DPD) is a high state institution that was formed through amendments to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (UUD 1945). The aim is to strengthen regional representation in decision-making at the national level. Even though it is expected to be able to fight for regional interests and act as a balancer to central power, the DPD is often considered to have limited authority compared to the People's Representative Council (DPR). This research uses a normative juridical method, which focuses on the analysis of statutory regulations and legal documents related to the position and authority of the DPD. This method is used to understand the legal provisions governing the DPD through a review of the 1945 Constitution, related laws, and relevant legal literature. After the amendment to the 1945 Constitution, Indonesia's constitutional structure underwent significant changes, including the formation of the DPD as a regional representative institution. Although the DPD has the authority to provide consideration to draft laws relating to regional interests, its role is often considered less influential than that of the DPR. These limitations, for example in the formal review of Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health, reflect the challenges in implementing the DPD's role and the existence of legal politics that leads to decentralization. The evaluation shows that although the DPD is designed to strengthen regional autonomy, implementing functions and coordination between the DPD, DPR, and the central government still face obstacles.