Golkar’s New Lineup
Bahlil Lahadalia, the new chairman of Golkar Party, has announced the new lineup of the Golkar’s Central Board (DPP) for 2024-2029 period on Thursday (Aug. 22). However, the outgoing President Jokowi and his eldest son, Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, are not among the lineup announced by Bahlil.
Prabowo v Jokowi (1)
Somehow, the hullabaloo surrounding the regional election rules occurred just hours after Bahlil Lahadalia was confirmed new chairman of Golkar Party, presumably with strong support from outgoing president Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo. It was just days after Supratman Agats, a politician from president elect Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra, appointed as minister of law and human rights affairs.
The looming political crisis
Megawati Soekarnoputri, matriarch of PDIP, the largest political party in the country, is set to announce 169 candidates to compete in election for regional leaders this afternoon. PDIP said the party will ignore the ongoing process at the House of Representatives (DPR), and opts to implement the recent ruling from the Constitutional Court (MK) instead.
Political Event to Watch: PKB’s Chairmanship Congress
PKB, the largest Islamic party in the country with strong affiliation to the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), will hold its Muktamar (chairmanship congress) this weekend on Aug. 24-25 in Bali. Some speculate that Muhaimin Iskandar, the current PKB chairman, might step down like what Airlangga Hartarto of Golkar Party did. Others, however, believe that Muhaimin might be re-elected in Bali and then there would be another PKB chairman to be elected in the Party’s extraordinary congress (Munaslub) that will possibly be held later in a different location.
The Endgame
The House of Representatives (DPR) and the Central Government have revised the Regional Election Law (UU Pilkada) No. 10/2016, but they ignored the recent ruling No. 60/2024 issued by the Constitutional Court (MK). If this revised Law 10/2016 is deliberated and the General Election Commission (KPU) opts to implement the law instead of following the MK’s ruling, PDIP will not be able to nominate either Anies Baswedan or Basuki Tjahaja Purnama AKA Ahok to enter this year’s Jakarta gubernatorial election.
Golkar taken, PKB next in line
Golkar, the second largest party in the country, has been taken over by Java King through Bahlil Lahadalia as new chairman. That’s not enough to secure the Prince’s position in the next administration. In the coming days, the National Awakening Party (PKB) might also be acquired.
Chaotic election rules, Bahlil indirectly confirms Java King’s intervention
In just a matter of hours, the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government torpedoed the ruling from the Constitutional Court (MK) related to regional election law. DPR revised the existing laws (2016), which will maintain threshold of 20% seats in the regional...
PDIP: Ahok or Anies?
PDIP is now able to provide a ticket for its governor candidate alone in this year’s Jakarta gubernatorial election following the Constitutional Court’s (MK) ruling No. 60/2024. The biggest question is whether PDIP will give its ticket for Ahok (Basuki Tjahaja Purnama) or Anies Baswedan.
MK’s Ruling 60/2024: Domino Effect?
The Constitutional Court (MK) dropped a ‘bomb’ on Tuesday (Aug. 20) with the issuance of its ruling No. 60/2024 which will likely dramatically change political landscape in this year’s simultaneous regional elections. If anything, the ruling could potentially break apart the so-called KIM Plus coalition, the expanded coalition of Prabowo-Gibran. The ruling will likely also inspire many parties to once again attempt to reduce the presidential threshold.
It is not over yet!
The surprise ruling from the Constitutional Court (MK) today paves the way for a healthier competition for regional leaders, including in Jakarta. The MK basically reduces the threshold to nominate a candidate, which will allow PDIP, the only major party yet to nominate a candidate in Jakarta election, to enter the race.