PDIP Happy Threshold For Regional Head Election Candidates Changed By Constitutional Court: We Can Advance In Oligarchy Power Areas

Chairman of the PDIP DPP in the field of Winning Executive Elections, Deddy Yevri Sitorus (ANTARA)

The PDI-P (PDIP) welcomes the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) which changes the threshold rules for nominating regional heads in regional elections. Moreover, so far there has been a scenario of cornering them so that they are only spectators. "“ This is very encouraging news because so far there have been efforts by the authorities and pockets who are trying to corner the PDI-P so they cannot nominate in many regions," said PDIP DPP chairman Deddy Yevri Sitorus in a written statement, Tuesday, August 20. Deddy said the decision knocked out by the Constitutional Court made PDIP ready to nominate its best figure. “ With this, we ensure that we can advance in areas that have been controlled by certain oligarchs such as DKI, West Java, East Java, Jember, Banten, Papua and so on,” he said. Furthermore, he also referred to the judges' hammer as a form of victory against the oligarchs who have an empty box scenario. Pilkada, continued Deddy, is even more interesting with the presence of many pairs of candidates. So, like it or not, the party prepares the best figure and can be considered a solver of the usual political dowry practices. “ The more candidates, of course, the more choices of leaders that the people can consider and that is good for the people and political parties but bad for the oligarchy and political elites who are anti-democracy,” he said. “ With this decision, the politics of dowry in district/city and provincial elections can be reduced to a minimum. Political parties inevitably are forced to carry the best people as candidates, ” continued Deddy. As previously reported, the Panel of Judges of the Constitutional Court (MK) granted part of the request for judicial review of Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning the Election of Governors, Regents, and Mayors or the Pilkada Law. This is stated in the decision of case number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 with the Labor Party and the Gelora Party as applicants. The Constitutional Court stated Article 40 paragraph (3) of the unconstitutional Pilkada Law. Political parties or coalitions of political parties propose that pairs of candidates use the provisions to obtain at least 25 percent of the accumulated valid votes as referred to in paragraph (1), this provision only applies to political parties that receive seats in the Regional House of Representatives. Then, the Constitutional Court changed the contents of the article by stating that political parties or coalitions of political parties can register candidates if: a. Provinces with a population of up to 2 million people on the voter list, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must get a valid vote of at least 10 percent in the province b. Provinces with a population of more than 2 million people on the voter list, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must get a valid vote of at least 8.5 percent in the province c. Provinces with a population of more than 6 million people to 12 million people, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must get a valid vote of at least 7.5 percent in the province d. Provinces with a population of more than 12 million voters, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must get a valid vote of at least 6.5 percent in the province Meanwhile, to propose a candidate for regent and candidate for deputy regent as well as a candidate for mayor and deputy mayor candidate: a. Regencies/cities with a population of more than 250 thousand voters, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must get a valid vote of at least 10 percent in these districts/cities b. Regencies/cities with a population of more than 250 thousand to 500 thousand voters, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must obtain a valid vote of at least 8.5 percent in these districts/cities c. Regencies/cities with a population of more than 500 thousand to 1 million voters, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must obtain a valid vote of at least 7.5 percent in these districts/cities d. Regencies/cities with a population of more than 1 million voters, political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election must get a valid vote of at least 6.5 percent in the district/city.