NasDem Proposes 30 Percent Of DPR Members To Be Determined By The Party

Photo: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - The NasDem Party proposes a change in the proportional electoral system for the legislative elections (pileg) of the DPR RI. NasDem wants a closed proportional system with a composition of 30 percent of DPR members elected behind closed doors by their respective political parties.

Meanwhile, 70 percent of the DPR RI quota is still chosen openly in the legislative candidates. This is a recommendation from the NasDem Party which results from the discussion of Congress III which was held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).

"The NasDem Party offers the idea of an electoral system that combines an open proportional system with a closed system, namely that there is a contested seat quota and which is not publicly contested," said NasDem III Congressional SC member Martin Manurung, Tuesday, August 27.

Technically, NasDem proposed that 30 percent of the seats be filled by a list of names that had been compiled by political parties from the start. The number of seats for each political party from the 30 percent quota is obtained proportionally based on the acquisition of valid votes for each political party in open proportional elections.

Quota of 30 percent of DPR members determined by political parties is also allowed for elements of society other than cadres, such as academics, community leaders, religious leaders, representatives of marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and social activists whose electability levels are relatively small if they participate in free combat in open elections.

"Thus, this 30 percent quota aims to improve the quality of community representation in the DPR," explained Martin.

Martin then explained the reason why NasDem wanted the quota of 30 percent of DPR members to be elected proportionally closed. According to him, the proportional system of open listings is considered too spaceable for individual competition between candidates that causes party internal fragmentation.

"This system also does not provide reinforcement in the formation of party ID. In addition, this system provides room for massive use of money politics in achieving people's votes. As a result, qualified candidates who do not have strong political resources must be eliminated from the fight," he explained.

On the other hand, NasDem also proposed a tiere change in the parliamentary threshold. The proposal for the parliamentary threshold of the DPR RI has increased to 7 percent. In the current Election Law, the DPR's passing threshold is 4 percent.

Then, NasDem proposed that the acquisition of provincial and district/city DPRD seats in the future also use a threshold of 5 percent for provincial DPRDs and 3 percent for district/city DPRDs.

"This policy will accommodate aspects of political inclusiveness with political stability and government," added Martin.