Political Maneuvers Since the Presidential Election, Will It Continue Until the 2024 Regional Elections?
A people's government, commonly referred to as a democracy, is seen as a system that upholds equality of rights and responsibilities for all citizens. A democratic political system is upheld through elections. Elections are held to achieve people's sovereignty and apply the principles and values of democracy. Additionally, elections can increase political awareness and encourage active participation in realizing the democratic aspirations of Indonesian society (Yusuf et al., 2024). Indonesia is one of the countries that adheres to a democratic system where leaders and representatives are directly elected by the people through elections. Elections are held simultaneously every 5 years, including the election of the President, Vice President, members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), House of Representatives (DPR), and Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) at the provincial and district/city levels. The 2024 Presidential Election was already conducted in February 2024. One of the most controversial issues in this election was the eligibility of Gibran as a vice-presidential candidate. Gibran, the son of President Joko Widodo, was under 40 years old when he was nominated. This situation sparked political and legal disputes within the public. Overall, the debate on the minimum age requirement for a vice-presidential candidate highlights the importance of legal integrity and transparency in the political process. Political decisions must always be based on the constitution and public interest, rather than individual or group interests. By doing so, Indonesia’s democracy can continue to grow and maintain the trust of its people (Sulistyowati et al., 2024).
The crucial turning point in Indonesia's democratic journey occurred during the 2024 Presidential Election. This was due to the intense dynamics leading up to the 2024 Regional Elections. President Jokowi, as the incumbent president, has been heavily scrutinized during this political year. The term "shadow presidency" has often been associated with Jokowi at this time, referring to political maneuvers that place strategic positions in the hands of key figures and signal support for certain candidates. According to political observers, although Jokowi is constitutionally unable to run again, he remains a central figure in the political arena (Fieda, 2023). In addition to the issue of the shadow presidency, a variety of controversies have emerged ahead of the 2024 Regional Elections, stemming from political elites and the digital political ecosystem. Various media have constructed and reported on these issues, which have emerged from different camps. The issues range from President Jokowi’s "cawe-cawe" (meddling) from the Presidential Election to the Regional Elections, followed by claims of palace intervention in favor of certain candidates, dynastic politics, and the Constitutional Court’s controversial decision on the age limit for presidential and vice-presidential candidates (Mudjiyanto et al., 2024). Recently, there has also been widespread discussion about the alleged manipulation of the Constitutional Court's ruling by the House of Representatives (DPR), accusations of puppet candidates, scenarios of independent candidates, suspicions about mega coalitions, conflicts between the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and all other political parties, and various other plot twists emerging ahead of the 2024 Regional Elections.
The Constitutional Court: The Game Changer Ahead of the Democratic Celebration
The Constitutional Court has once again stirred things up after making changes ahead of the 2024 Regional Elections. Once more acting as a game changer, following its decision regarding the age limit for presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 2024 Elections, the Constitutional Court has now released a new statement that appears to benefit the people more than its previous decision in the 2024 Presidential Election. The Court issued several important rulings on August 20, 2024, exactly one week before the registration of regional head candidates opened at the General Elections Commission (KPU). Two main issues highlighted were the changes to the nomination threshold for regional head candidates, which will be aligned with independent candidates, and the discussion regarding the minimum age requirement for regional head candidates (Mantelan & Ramadhan, 2024).
The Constitutional Court decided that the nomination threshold for regional head candidates would be made equal to that for independent candidates. This decision was based on the fact that the previous threshold of 20% of DPRD seats or 25% of votes did not allow sufficient opportunity for citizens to participate through political parties with thresholds below that limit. Moreover, the regulation was no longer in line with the mandate of Article 18 paragraph (4) of the 1945 Constitution, which calls for democratic regional elections. This means that the widest possible opportunity must be provided for political parties with valid votes to nominate regional head candidates (Amril, 2024).
The Constitutional Court’s rule changes regarding the regional election regulations are believed to be the reason President Jokowi sent a letter to the DPR to hold a meeting on the new draft law (RUU) concerning regional elections. This is related to the issue of Kaesang's candidacy in the 2024 Regional Elections. The Court’s new ruling creates an obstacle for Kaesang to run in the 2024 elections. The discussion of the new RUU aims to create new laws that could overturn or modify the Constitutional Court’s newly established rulings. According to Article 24C paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution, the Constitutional Court's decisions are final and binding for everyone, including the DPR, the president, the government, and the judiciary. If this decision can be overturned, it would signal a legal anomaly in the country, and the people might oppose it (BBC, 2024).
The alleged interference with the Constitutional Court’s ruling by the DPR has heated up with the emergence of the hashtag #KawalPutusanMK, indicating that the public is also angry about this situation. It seems that democracy is being dismantled for the sake of one family's interests, sparking widespread posts of "Emergency Warning" on various social media platforms. Additionally, issues such as corruption, rising food prices, and nepotism were also voiced in these posts. The "Emergency Warning" posts went viral after the DPR’s Legislative Body (Baleg) held a meeting to discuss the Draft Law (RUU) on regional elections on August 21, 2024 (Novi, 2024). Demonstrations following the surge of “Emergency Warning” posts have also marked the lead-up to the 2024 Regional Elections. What will the outcome be? Will the people once again be victims for the benefit of a few?
The Final Outcome of the "Hijacking" of the Constitutional Court's Decision
A day after the Constitutional Court (MK) issued its ruling on the threshold and age limit regulations, the DPR expressed its disagreement by swiftly approving the revision of the Regional Election Law in a fast-tracked session at the DPR Legislative Body. This move was seen as a form of "defiance" against the Constitutional Court's decision, aimed at creating a shadow democracy for the benefit of the elite. To further explain the debate between the DPR’s decision and the Constitutional Court’s ruling, the following table outlines the differences between the two:
| Regulation Category | Election Law | Constitutional Court Decision | DPR Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidacy Threshold | 20% of DPRD seats or 25% of valid votes | 6.5%-10% based on population | Only applies to parties without DPRD seats |
| Governor Age Requirement | Minimum 30 years old | At least 30 years when registered as candidate | At least 30 years when appointed |
| Regent/Mayor Age Requirement | Minimum 25 years old | At least 25 years when registered as candidate | At least 25 years when appointed |
The differences between the three give several agreements as the final result of this issue. The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has officially approved the revision of the General Election Commission Regulation (PKPU) related to the 2024 regional elections, accommodating the Constitutional Court's decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 regarding party thresholds in regional head nominations and the Constitutional Court's decision Number 70/PUU-XXII/2024 on the age requirements for regional head candidates (BBC, 2024). Both are accommodated according to the Constitutional Court’s decisions in the DPR's approval of the PKPU for regional elections, as summarized in the DPR meeting broadcast (BeritaSatu, 2024).
Party Threshold in Regional Head Nominations
There is a change in Article 11 Paragraph (1) of PKPU Number 8 of 2024, which states that Political Parties or Political Party Coalitions can register Candidates if they have obtained at least 20% of the DPRD seats or 25% of the total valid votes in the DPRD elections in the relevant area. The first paragraph of Article 11 has been amended under the Constitutional Court's Decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024, which states that Political Parties or Political Party Coalitions can register Candidates if they meet the valid vote accumulation requirements in the DPRD elections in the relevant area with the following provisions:
To propose candidates for governor and deputy governor
- Provinces with up to two million registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 10% of valid votes in that province.
- Provinces with more than two million but up to six million registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 8.5% of valid votes in that province.
- Provinces with more than six million but up to twelve million registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 7.5% of valid votes in that province.
- Provinces with more than twelve million registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 6.5% of valid votes in that province.
To propose candidates for regent and deputy regent or mayor and deputy mayor
- Districts/cities with up to 250,000 registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 10% of valid votes in that district/city.
- Districts/cities with more than 250,000 but up to 500,000 registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 8.5% of valid votes in that district/city.
- Districts/cities with more than 500,000 but up to one million registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 7.5% of valid votes in that district/city.
- Districts/cities with more than one million registered voters, political parties, or political party coalitions must obtain at least 6.5% of valid votes in that district/city.
Determination of Regional Head Candidates' Age
Regarding the age requirement for regional head candidates, Article 15 of PKPU Number 8 of 2024 stipulates that the minimum age for selected candidates must be 30 years for governor and deputy governor candidates, 25 years for regent and deputy regent candidates, and 30 years for mayor and deputy mayor candidates, as stated in Article 14 Paragraph (2) letter d, effective from the inauguration of the selected candidates. The amendment specifies that the minimum age requirement is 30 years for governor and deputy governor candidates and 25 years for regent and deputy regent or mayor and deputy mayor candidates, as stated in Article 14 Paragraph (2) letter d, effective from the establishment of the candidates.
Several Names Withdrawn from Candidacy: What Are the Political Parties' Strategies?
The 2024 regional elections have been quite eventful for Indonesian politics. As November 2024 approaches, Indonesian politics are becoming increasingly dynamic. Various decisions regarding nominations have become increasingly heated. The rise and fall of candidates demonstrate that political strategies are being thoroughly managed by each political party in facing the 2024 regional election contest. Several plot twists have left the public wondering what the real objectives are. Starting with the withdrawal of Anies Baswedan and Ahok, who were expected to be supported by the PDIP party after receiving a boost from the Constitutional Court’s decision on the threshold. However, another name emerged in the nomination of the Jakarta governor candidate from the PDIP faction, namely Pramono-Rano Karno. According to the PDIP chairman, the choice of Pramono Anung for the Jakarta gubernatorial election amid the prominent names of Anies Baswedan and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) is seen as a compromise. The support bases of Ahok and Anies are considered very different and difficult to reconcile, so Pramono-Rano Karno is seen as a middle ground to unite these two support bases (Randita, 2024).
In addition to Anies Baswedan, who has been quite popular from the 2024 presidential election to this regional election, the name Airin also became a topic of discussion when Golkar decided to support Airin-Ade on August 27, 2024. The day before, Airin was officially endorsed by the PDI Perjuangan for the Banten gubernatorial election in 2024. Airin received a recommendation letter directly from the PDIP chairman Megawati at the PDIP DPP office. On the other hand, Golkar had previously supported Andra Soni-Dimyati Natakusumah as the candidate for Banten governor and deputy governor. The rapid changes in nominations indicate that each political party's strategies are continually evolving until the registration period for the regional elections ends. Besides changes in candidate nominations, withdrawals in several regions also occurred, such as Dico Ganinduto being withdrawn by Golkar from the Semarang mayoral election, Gusti Bhre suddenly withdrawing from the Solo contest, and the Ahmad Riza Patria-Marshel Widianto pair also withdrawing from the South Tangerang mayoral election. Various plot twists leading up to the regional elections are discussed in a podcast titled Pilkada Endgame (Metro TV, 2024). What are the implications of all this?