On 22nd August, the legislatures in Indonesia cancelled plans to approve revisions to election laws after thousands of people took to the streets in protest. Several thousand protesters gathered outside the parliament building, sending a clear message to the legislature that they would not accept the revisions.
Proposed revisions to overturn court ruling
The Parliament was set to revise election laws following a Constitutional Court judgment on candidate age requirements, which rendered President Joko Widodo’s youngest son, 29-year-old Kaesang Pangarep, ineligible to contest elections. The legislature planned to make revisions to reverse this judgment.
A plea was filed in the Constitutional Court challenging the age limit, which prevents candidates under 30 from contesting regional governorships. The court dismissed the plea, making it clear that anyone under 30 years of age cannot contest elections.
Concerns over political influence and nepotism in Indonesia
If implemented, the changes would have potentially increased the outgoing president’s political influence in the country. Critics argued that the revisions could have led to the establishment of a political dynasty in Indonesia. Kaesang was scheduled to contest the regional elections in November 2024, but he would turn 30 only in December 2024, one month after the elections.
This was not the first time allegations of nepotism have tainted Indonesia’s political landscape. Widodo’s eldest son, Gobran Rakabuming Raka, was elected as Indonesia’s youngest vice president just a few months ago. Additionally, Widodo has been accused of favouring his ally, Defence Chief Prabowo Subianto, as his successor.
Protests force government to withdraw revisions
As soon as the legislature announced the proposed revisions, thousands of Indonesians gathered outside the Parliament building in protest. In response to the protests, Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad announced that the proposed changes were dropped from the current election period. He stated, “It was officially decided that the revision of the Regional Election Law could not proceed. This means that the revision today was cancelled.”
Experts believe that had the proposed revision been implemented, it would have made it difficult for smaller parties to field candidates in key regional elections.
Protests and police response in Indonesia
The protesters burnt tyres and set off firecrackers in opposition to Widodo. In retaliation, Indonesian police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. Protesters pelted stones at police personnel and tore down the fence around the building.
Said Iqbal, president of the Labour Party, warned of further protests if the legislature attempted to renew its efforts to reverse the court ruling. He remarked, “What the parliament did was not just a setback for democracy; it was a hijacking of democracy. Parliament is a high state institution — if it had passed it yesterday, it would have been an abuse of power, exceeding its authority.”
Expert opinions on political implications
Vedi Hadiz, a professor of Asian Studies and director of the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne, commented, “We let you off when you had your eldest become vice president-elect. You’re asking for a lot if you think that we’d be happy with such blatant abuse of power in order to allow your 29-year-old son to also hold a position of power.”
Political turmoil in Asia
The recent protests in Indonesia share some similarities with the situation in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, widespread protests against the government have led to significant political turmoil. Similarly, in Indonesia, people took to the streets to oppose potential government overreach. In Bangladesh, citizens challenged the job quota system, resulting in a tense and unstable political climate. On the other hand, the Indonesian protests centred around concerns of a potential political dynasty. These events highlight the growing political unrest and public resistance to government decisions in both countries.
However, unlike in Bangladesh, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee the country, leading to an interim government being installed by the Bangladeshi Army, Indonesia seems to have managed to control the situation. The proposed revisions in Indonesia have already been scrapped.
