Indonesia, as a country with cultural diversity and a large population, has undergone striking political changes in recent decades. This transition has brought new challenges and opportunities to the country's political system. In Indonesia's political landscape, political parties, the legislature, and the executive have key roles in determining the country's direction and directing important policies. Political parties serve as the link between the government and the people, while the legislature and the executive work together to shape and implement policies that move the country towards a better future. The roles and dynamics between these three components significantly influence Indonesia's political stability and progress.

At its core, politics is about how the state is managed and how power is distributed. Indonesia has gone through a period of transition from an authoritarian regime to a more inclusive democracy. Along with these changes, the political system has undergone significant transformation. Democracy emphasizes the importance of political instruments in forming stable and well-functioning bodies. Political infrastructure and superstructure, including political parties, play a central role in ensuring the smooth running of the political process. Political parties function not only as intermediaries between the government and the people but also as checks and balances for the executive and legislature.

Prof. Muryanto Amin mentioned that Indonesia has a complex multiparty system. In legislative elections, several political parties fight to get the most votes and seats in parliament. He mentioned an interesting point, namely that the party that receives the most votes in the legislative election does not always win the executive election. When the political party that receives the most votes in the legislative election does not win the executive election, the relationship between the two can become strained. This challenge requires more efforts to maintain government stability and encourage constructive cooperation.

The phenomenon was further researched by Prof. Muryanto Amin together with Prof. Humaizi, Suci Rahmadani, and Muhammad Yusuf. They mentioned that this event often occurs in regional head elections (Pilkada) in Indonesia. In the election of governors, regents, or mayors, political parties are often involved, resulting in the formation of coalitions. This coalition can affect a particular candidate's chances of victory.

"Perhaps logically, when candidates have broad support from coalition parties, their chances of victory increase. The greater the number of supporting parties, the greater the number of party machines that will work to win the candidate. On the other hand, the party supporting the candidate pair that won the Pilkada is also assumed to get high votes in the legislative elections," explained Prof. Muryanto Amin.

This is not always the case. They conducted research on the 2013 North Sumatra regional election contestation. The Governor and Vice Governor candidate pair of Gatot Pujo Nugroho and Tengku Erry Nuradi (also known as GANTENG) was promoted by two parliamentary parties, namely Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) and Partai Hati Nurani Rakyat (Hanura), garnering 1,604,337 votes.

Meanwhile, in the previous Pilkada in 2008, Syamsul Arifin and Gatot Pujo Nugroho (also known as SAMPURNO) were supported by Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP), PKS, Partai Bulan Bintang (PBB), Partai Patriot Pancasila, Partai Karya Peduli Bangsa (PKPB), and Partai Persatuan Nahdlatul Ummah Indonesia, garnering 1,396,892 votes. This shows that popularity and the number of supporting parties do not always determine high vote acquisition but still increase the chances of winning the contestation.

"Despite having won the Pilkada battle in 2013, PKS and Hanura did not become champions in the 2014 legislative elections. This is evidenced by the results of the legislative elections showing that the two parties only obtained a total of 19 seats out of 100 seats in parliament," said Prof. Muryanto Amin.

The small numbers obtained by the coalition supporting the government (Governor and Vice Governor of North Sumatra) can make decisions or policies difficult when the support of votes or seats in parliament is limited. Difficulties also arise when the winner of the legislative election does not win the executive election. This phenomenon demonstrates the complexity of Indonesia's political system and demands flexible adaptation from the parties involved.

Legislative elections tend to bring changes in the distribution of seats in parliament. Political parties that previously dominated the executive through regional head elections now face challenges maintaining their influence in parliament. The effect, they argue, is that when political parties lose seats in parliament, they also lose political power that can influence policies and decisions. This creates difficulties for the executive in gaining support from the legislature when making decisions. A harmonious relationship between these two bodies is essential to ensure government stability and policy effectiveness.

In response, they look at the pattern of the executive and legislature in forming effective political communication. When both parties can communicate well, the policy and decision-making process becomes smoother. For example, in discussing the regional regulation draft on the North Sumatra provincial tourism development master plan, smooth political communication between the executive and legislature helped overcome challenges and develop a comprehensive plan. The agreement reached reflects how good political communication can produce policies that benefit society.

In the conclusion of their research, they mentioned that the navigation of political dynamics in Indonesia is heading in a complicated and unpredictable direction. Thus, managing the executive and legislative branches is a challenging task, given the complexity of the multiparty system. Despite the challenges, the country continues to evolve and adapt to the political changes taking place. The winner in the executive election may not necessarily dominate in the legislative election, and vice versa, the winner in the legislative election may not necessarily win the executive election contestation.

“Effective collaboration between political bodies and parties can bring stability and progress to Indonesia. In an era of democracy that continues to develop, the role of political parties and legislative and executive bodies is vital in shaping the country's future," explained Prof. Muryanto Amin.

In exploring Indonesia's political journey, we can appreciate the complexity and dynamics underlying this country's government and policies. Through effective political communication and constructive cooperation, Indonesia can continue to develop towards a better and more inclusive future.