The Relationship Between Nusantara Capital City (IKN) and the Central Government from a Constitutional Law Perspective: Between Asymmetric Decentralization and Administrative Centralization

Resti Kurnia (Master of Laws Program, Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia)
Imam Hakiki (Center for the Study of Religion and Democracy, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Indonesia)

Lex Journal : Kajian Hukum dan Keadilan
Vol 10 No 3 (2026): September

The relocation of the State Capital to Nusantara Capital City (IKN) brings consequences for constitutional design and the relationship between the central and regional governments. This study aims to analyze the position of IKN within Indonesia's constitutional structure and to assess whether the IKN Authority governance model reflects asymmetrical decentralization or administrative centralization. Employing a normative legal research method with statutory and conceptual approaches, this study is supported by an analysis of Constitutional Court decisions and relevant literature. The findings indicate that the design of the IKN Authority differs from the practice of asymmetrical decentralization known in Indonesia. The position of the Authority—being directly accountable to the President, the absence of a Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), and the non-utilization of electoral mechanisms for appointing the head of government—demonstrates strong central government control. This configuration places IKN closer to administrative centralization than to asymmetrical decentralization. Therefore, strengthening accountability mechanisms, oversight, and guarantees of popular sovereignty is necessary to ensure that the governance of IKN remains aligned with the principles of a democratic state based on the rule of law.