Constitutional Court Rejects Age Limit Lawsuit, Prabowo Coalition Is Looking For Alternative Vice President Candidates Apart From Gibran

Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in Central Java (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The National Mandate Party (PAN) respects the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) which rejects a lawsuit related to the age limit of the presidential and vice presidential candidates. PAN hopes that the decision can provide certainty in determining the age limit for pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates. Chairman of the PAN faction of the DPR RI Saleh Partaonan Daulay assessed that the decision can also minimize various unfavorable presumptions that have developed recently. It is known that the Constitutional Court is said to be accepting a lawsuit for the age limit for the MK vice presidential candidate at least 35 years old to pass the Mayor of Solo who is also the eldest son of President Joko Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. "Even though there are often many assumptions, we consistently do not want to precede the Constitutional Court's decision. Well, it turns out that the Constitutional Court rejects the age limit lawsuit filed by various parties. That is, the applicable rules remain the same, the age limit of the presidential and vice presidential candidates is 40 years. This is a final and binding decision. We all must respect and obey it," Saleh said to reporters, Monday, October 16. Instead, Gibran's problem of not canceling being Prabowo's vice president, Saleh said, this decision actually further strengthens PAN's expectations so that SOE Minister Erick Thohir can be juxtaposed with the future presidential candidate for the Advanced Indonesia Coalition, Prabowo Subianto. "From all sides, we are sure that Erick will be elected. The composition of Prabowo-Erick will complement each other," he said.

PAN also hopes that the Constitutional Court's decision will stop the various speculations and debates that have existed so far. Where, according to Saleh, speculation and debate often discredit certain parties. According to him, this is certainly not good when approaching the election. "It's time for all parties to be kind to think about. Focus on the implementation of honest, fair, open, and dignified elections. This Constitutional Court decision does not need to be interpreted too far, it is quite understood and accepted. It is part of our agreement to establish the Constitutional Court as a constitutional guard institution," said the chairman of the PAN DPP.