Surya Paloh Conveys Reasons For NasDem Not To Hold A Presidential Candidate Convention 2024

SURABAYA - Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, emphasized that his party would not hold a presidential candidate selection convention for the benefit of the 2024 Simultaneous General Elections.

"I consider the convention finished and the NasDem (Party) will not hold it. This is to avoid confusion," said Paloh on the sidelines of the 2024 Election Winning Coordination Meeting in Surabaya, reported by Antara, Monday, February 28.

According to him, one of the reasons the NasDem Party did not hold the convention was related to the formal requirements to be accepted by the General Elections Commission (KPU) as a presidential candidate, which is to have at least 20 percent of the vote.

The NasDem Party only had 9.6 percent in the 2019 election, so it had to form a coalition with other political parties to be able to nominate a pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates, he said.

"We really need a coalition. But unfortunately a thousand dear, many partners are still busy wanting to become president. So, what else should the convention continue for?" he said.

Instead of the presidential candidate convention, the NasDem Party held a National Conference through a National Working Meeting (Rakernas) on 15-17 June 2022, by discussing various important topics, one of which was related to the 2024 presidential nomination. Previously, during the inauguration of the NasDem Tower in Jakarta, Tuesday, 22 February , Paloh said the NasDem Party would prepare presidential candidates to run in the 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections (Pilpres).

"I think no more than three names, no more than three," he said.

Nevertheless, he continued, the NasDem Party is still open to dialogue regarding the presidential candidate to be promoted. In addition, the Election Winning Body (Bappilu) of the NasDem Party will also accommodate several potential figures to advance to the once-every five-yearly national contest.

"Anyone in this nation who has the obsession and ambition to become a strong, sturdy public figure, until they reach the highest level in the structure of the government system," he said.