Chapter VI
Regional Authorities
Article 18
(1) The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia shall be divided into provinces and those
provinces shall be divided into regencies (kabupaten) and municipalities (kota), each of which
shall have regional authorities which shall be regulated by law.
(2) The regional authorities of the provinces, regencies and municipalities shall administer and
manage their own affairs according to the principles of regional autonomy and the duty of
assistance (tugas pembantuan).
(3) The authorities of the provinces, regencies and municipalities shall include for each a
Regional People's House of Representatives (DPRD) whose members shall be elected through
general elections.
(4) Governors, Regents (bupati) and Mayors (walikota), respectively as head of regional
government of the provinces, regencies and municipalities, shall be elected democratically.
(5) The regional authorities shall exercise wide-ranging autonomy, except in matters specified by
law to be the affairs of the central government.
(6) The regional authorities shall have the authority to adopt regional regulations and other
regulations to implement autonomy and the duty of assistance.
(7) The structure and administrative mechanisms of regional authorities shall be regulated by law.
Article 18A
(1) The authority relations between the central government and the regional authorities of the
provinces, regencies and municipalities, or between a province and its regencies and
municipalities, shall be regulated by law having regard to the particularities and diversity of each
region.
(2) The relations between the central government and regional authorities in finances, public
services, and the use of natural and other resources shall be regulated and administered with
justice and equity according to law.
Article 18B
(1) The State recognises and respects units of regional authorities that are special and distinct,
which shall be regulated by law.
(2) The State recognises and respects traditional communities along with their traditional
customary rights as long as these remain in existence and are in accordance with the societal
development and the principles of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, and shall be
regulated by law.
Chapter VII
The People's Representative Council (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR)
Article 19
(1) Members of the DPR shall be elected through a general election.
(2) The structure of the DPR shall be regulated by law.
(3) The DPR shall convene in a session at least once a year.
Article 20
(1) The DPR shall hold the authority to establish laws.