Successor to Anwar Usman Expected to Be Sworn In This Week

TheIndonesia.co - The vacant seat on the Constitutional Court (MK) left by Anwar Usman following his retirement is set to be filled soon. Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi confirmed that the Presidential Palace has officially received a letter from the Supreme Court (MA) regarding the nominee for the new constitutional justice.

Although the letter is already in hand, Prasetyo has declined to disclose the identity of the appointee.

“It will be announced later,” he said briefly when met at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (8 April 2026).

Swearing-In Expected Within the Week

Regarding the inauguration schedule, Prasetyo ensured that the swearing-in process would not take long. If there are no obstacles, the new constitutional judge is expected to be sworn in directly by President Prabowo Subianto later this week.

“It is planned as soon as possible within this week,” he added.

In addition to the MK appointment, the Palace is also preparing inauguration agendas for other state institutions. Prasetyo noted that there is a plan to combine the ceremony with the swearing-in of members of the Indonesian Ombudsman to improve efficiency.

“There's a plan to hold them simultaneously,” he concluded.

Anwar Usman’s Final Session on the Bench

Previously, on 16 March, Anwar Usman presided over what would become his final Constitutional Court session, reading out rulings in 15 judicial review cases during a hearing held in Jakarta.

In that session, he delivered the verdict for Case Number 176/PUU-XXII/2025 concerning a judicial review of the law on the financial and administrative rights of leaders and members of state institutions, including former officials.

An emotional moment unfolded before he began reading the ruling. The former Chief Justice took the opportunity to bid farewell and apologise to the public and all parties present, as his tenure as a constitutional judge was coming to an end.

“Before I read out the decision, this may be the last hearing I attend, as on 6 April 2026 I will have completed 15 years of service at the Constitutional Court,” Anwar said.

He acknowledged that over such a long period of service, there were inevitably actions that may not have satisfied everyone.

“Of course, over such a long time, there may have been things that were less than satisfactory, whether intentional or not. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely apologise,” he stated.

After delivering his farewell remarks, Anwar proceeded to read out the key points of the rulings submitted by petitioners. Out of the 15 cases decided that day, he was the final judge to deliver a verdict, closing the session.

Ethics Controversy and Public Scrutiny

Anwar Usman has long been known to the public not only for his position at the Court but also for his family ties. He is the brother-in-law of Indonesia’s 7th President, Joko Widodo, and previously served as the 6th Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.

His tenure was marked by significant legal and political controversies. In 2023, he was embroiled in a major dispute over a Constitutional Court ruling on the minimum age requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, which paved the way for his nephew, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, to run for vice president.

The case led to a report being filed with the Constitutional Court’s Ethics Council (MKMK). In November 2023, the council found that Anwar had committed a serious ethical violation related to a conflict of interest in that ruling.

The decision had significant implications for his standing within the Court. However, in July 2024, the MKMK later ruled that Anwar was not proven to have violated judicial ethics in a separate complaint filed by lawyer Zico Leonardo Djagardo Simanjunto, which concerned alleged breaches of propriety and conduct.

Beyond ethical issues, Anwar’s attendance record also drew scrutiny, as reports indicated he had frequently been absent from meetings and hearings held by the Constitutional Court.