Putusan MK, Kabar Baik Sekaligus Buruk Bagi Peserta Pilkada Serentak 2024

Summary

The Indonesian Constitutional Court has set a new threshold for regional head candidates, requiring either 20% of DPRD seats or 25% popular vote, unifying the criteria for party-nominated and independent candidates. This ruling allows parties without DPRD seats to nominate candidates and could impact Jakarta's upcoming gubernatorial election, where PDIP might now nominate independently despite lacking a coalition partner. The decision also specifies minimum age requirements for candidates and annuls a previous ruling requiring age criteria to be met at the time of candidate appointment, not inauguration.

Takeaways

• 🗓️ The registration period for the 2024 regional election candidates is approaching, with only one week left.
• 🏛️ The Constitutional Court (MK) ruled on August 20, 2024, that the threshold for regional head candidates is 20% of DPRD seats or 25% of the popular vote, regardless of party or independent status.
• 🚫 Political parties without seats in the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) can still nominate candidates for regional head positions.
• 📜 The decision was part of a ruling on case No. 60/PUU/2024, filed by the Gerindra and Golkar parties, and included dissenting opinions from judges Guntur Hamzah and Daniel Yusmikp.
• 🏙️ In Jakarta's regional election, the Koalisi Indonesia Maju Plus is rallying support for Ridwan Kamil and Suswono, leaving PDIP to potentially field an independent candidate pair.
• 🔄 The MK's decision could change the political landscape of Jakarta, as PDIP currently does not have a coalition partner and must meet a minimum threshold of 22 DPRD seats.
• 🎯 PDIP holds 15 seats in Jakarta's DPRD, which is above the 7.5% threshold set by the MK for independent candidates to run in the regional elections.
• 🤔 The decision raises questions about whether PDIP will field its own candidates or join forces with another party.
• 👶 The MK also emphasized that the minimum age for regional head candidates must be met from the time of nomination, not just at the time of appointment.
• 🚫 The ruling effectively disqualifies younger potential candidates, such as Kaesang Pangarep, the younger brother of President Joko Widodo, from running in the simultaneous regional elections in November, as he would not meet the age requirement at the time of candidate registration.

Q & A

What is the remaining time for the registration of pairs for the 2024 regional election?

The registration period for pairs of candidates for the 2024 regional election is only one week away.

What did the Constitutional Court state regarding the candidacy threshold for regional heads?

The Constitutional Court stated that the threshold for candidacy for regional heads should be the same for both political party routes and individual routes, which is either 20% of the DPRD seats or 25% of the popular vote.

Can political parties without seats in the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) nominate candidates for regional heads?

Yes, political parties without seats in the DPRD can still nominate candidates for regional heads.

What is the significance of the Constitutional Court's decision for the upcoming regional elections?

The decision allows political parties to nominate candidates for regional heads with a lower threshold of votes received in the legislative elections, which can potentially change the political landscape of regional elections.

What is the minimum age requirement for candidates for regional heads as per the latest Constitutional Court decision?

The minimum age requirement for candidates for governor or vice governor is 30 years old, and for mayor or vice mayor and regent or vice regent is 25 years old.

How does the Constitutional Court's decision affect the Jakarta regional election?

The decision potentially changes the political constellation of Jakarta, as it allows parties like PDIP, which do not have a coalition partner, to still nominate their own candidates despite not meeting the previous seat requirement in the DPRD.

What is the minimum percentage of votes required for a political party to nominate a regional head candidate according to the latest decision?

A political party needs to obtain between 6.5% to 10% of the votes in the legislative elections to nominate a regional head candidate, with the exact percentage varying based on the population size in each province.

What is the impact of the Constitutional Court's decision on the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra)?

The decision benefits parties like PKS and Gerindra as it allows them to nominate regional head candidates with a lower threshold of votes received in the legislative elections.

Who are the potential candidates for the Jakarta regional election mentioned in the script?

The script mentions Ridwan Kamil and Suswono as potential candidates supported by a coalition, while Dharma Pongrek and Kun Kun Wardana are mentioned as potential independent candidates.

What is the situation with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) in Jakarta's regional election?

PDIP currently does not have a coalition partner but can still nominate its own candidates due to the Constitutional Court's decision. However, it has not yet decided whether to nominate a governor, vice governor, or both.

How does the Constitutional Court's decision affect the candidacy of Kaesang, the younger son of President Joko Widodo?

The decision sets a minimum age requirement that could potentially prevent Kaesang from running in the simultaneous regional elections in November, as he would not meet the age requirement at the time of candidate registration.