But ultimately, following the public outcry, the legislature said that it will not make changes to the election rules under the current government’s term.
Meanwhile, Mdm Titi highlighted other issues, including how Mr Widodo appears keen to influence the local elections – similar to how he had previously admitted to meddling in the February presidential elections – as a means to remain influential even after stepping down from the presidency in October.
On the national level, a grand coalition exists with the Advanced Indonesia Coalition which successfully backed Mr Prabowo and Mr Gibran during the February presidential election.
They include parties that are in parliament such as Golkar, Gerindra, the Democratic Party, and the National Mandate Party (PAN).
In recent weeks, the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), National Awakening Party (PKB), and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) decided to join the Advanced Indonesia Coalition, effectively leaving PDI-P alone with no coalition on a national level. These three parties had previously formed their own coalition, backing former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan as a presidential candidate. He ultimately lost to Mr Prabowo.
However, political parties may form different coalitions on a regional level for the November elections.
Mdm Titi – the law lecturer – pointed out that Mr Widodo is trying to replicate the Advanced Indonesia Coalition for the local elections by influencing the different political parties.
“The dominance, hegemony, and control of Jokowi as the incumbent president who will end his term but still has significant influence in the government are among the biggest highlights of this simultaneous regional elections contestation.
“The controversy concerns efforts to duplicate and replicate the Advanced Indonesia Coalition in the regional elections,” said Mdm Titi.
She cited, for example, the nomination of Golkar member and former West Java governor Ridwan Kamil and PKS member Suswono in the Jakarta regional elections, despite the former having a higher electability rating in West Java.
They are backed by a grand coalition consisting of at least 13 parties.
Mdm Titi believes that the duo was forced to be paired and run in Jakarta, so that potential candidates who are not members of political parties have limited chances to run in the gubernatorial election there.
Source: CNA
