Association for Elections and Democracy: The 2024 Election Can Only Be Postponed If The 1945 Constitution Is Amended

JAKARTA - The issue of the postponement of the 2024 General Election to 2027 has been highlighted by the Association for Elections and Democracy.

According to Titi Anggraini, a member of the Advisory Council of Association for Elections and Democracy the 2024 General Election can only be postponed if Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution is amended first. This is because the constitution and the Constitutional Court Decision Number 55/PUU-XVII/2019 do not open up the gap for delays at all.

"In Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, it is stated that the President and Vice President hold office for 5 years, and after that, they can be re-elected in the same position, only for one term", said Titi, Friday, August 20.

Titi explained that Article 8 Paragraph (3) of the 1945 Constitution cannot apply to situations where the election time is postponed.

Where, Article 8 paragraph 3 stipulates 'If the President and the Vice President die, resign, are dismissed, or are unable to perform their obligations during their term of office simultaneously, the executor of presidential duties is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the Minister of Defense together".

This article states that no later than 30 days after that, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) shall hold a session to elect the President and Vice President from two pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates proposed by a political party or coalition of political parties whose pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates win the first and second most votes in the previous general election, until the end of his term of office.

"The current regulations do not open the gap for the postponement of the election, except if the postponement is done by amending Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia", explained Titi.