Consensus as Democratic Education on the Village Consultative Body Election in Bangkalan

Abstract

This study aims to discuss democracy education practice on electing members of the Village Consultative Body in the Regency of Bangkalan –Indonesia. Through this study, the authors intend to describe models by which used in electing members of the Village Consultative Body (BPD) within the Regency of Bangkalan –Indonesia as well as to explore democracy values derived from the model chosen by related villages to be employed for society’s education on democracy. This study is carried out by way of qualitative research methodology –by observing the ongoing election process of members of the Village Consultative Body in the Regency of Bangkalan in 2019; the authors were on the spot during the event. Furthermore, the study reveals that the Government of  Bangkalan Regency drafts regulations by exercising the Regent’s stipulation ,i.e., giving options to approximately 256 villages in Bangkalan in which, respective model or option is applicable in selecting the nominees to fill in the posts of members of  Village Consultative Body in the Regency of Bangkalan  The nomination procedure is held through a direct voting among village society or consensus by consultative assembly. Later, the result shows that the society who elect candidates for filling in the posts of BPD members agreed to use consensus as a model, and it is exercised in a specific consensus forum. Therefore, such model is considered suitable with the fourth of fundamental concept of Pancasila (five basic principles of establishing the state). The core issue regarding the fourth principle of Pancasila is the practice of democracy so that a consensus is also a reflection of democracy values and it can be used as a role model in educating people about democracy.