Jakarta -The Constitutional Court (MK) has removed the requirement for a 20 percent presidential threshold as regulated in Article 222 of Law Number 7 of 2017 on Elections. This news is a breath of fresh air for many parties.
The camp of former Jakarta Governor 2017-2022 Anies Baswedan welcomed the Constitutional Court’s decision. The Constitutional Court’s decision to eliminate the presidential threshold is seen as a new hope for the Indonesian people in choosing their leader.
“We welcome the Constitutional Court’s decision.” This is what the people have been hoping for all this time. “Thus, this decision becomes a New Year’s gift from the MK Judges,” said Anies Baswedan’s Spokesperson, Sahrin Hamid, to Liputan6.com, Friday (3/1/2025).
According to Sahrin, the Constitutional Court’s decision to remove the presidential threshold can improve the quality of democracy. According to him, the threshold limits the people’s access to run for office and restricts the people’s access to better national leaders.
“The Constitutional Court has minimized the grip of political cartels and oligarchs on our future presidential elections,” he said.
Sahrin stated that with the absence of a threshold, the potential for national leadership will grow and develop, reaching all the potential of the nation’s children who possess quality.
“A democratic presidential election system must be supported by the neutrality of state apparatus.” Therefore, the neutrality of the state must remain a priority so that a fair presidential election can be achieved,” said Sahrin.
Nevertheless, he is not yet willing to comment much on the possibility of Anies running in the 2029 presidential election. According to Sahrin, it is still too early to reveal.
Constitutional Court Removes 20 Percent Presidential Nomination Threshold
Previously, the Constitutional Court (MK) granted the judicial review regarding the presidential threshold in Law Number 7 of 2017 on Elections in its entirety.
“Granting the applicants’ request in its entirety,” said Chief Justice Suhartoyo while reading the verdict at the Constitutional Court building in Jakarta, Thursday, December 2, 2024.
According to the Constitutional Court, he said, Article 222, which regulates the requirements for the presidential and vice-presidential candidacy threshold, stating that they can only be nominated by political parties with at least 20 percent of DPR seats or obtaining 25 percent of the national valid votes in the previous election, does not have binding legal force.
“Does not have binding legal force,” emphasized Suhartoyo.
For your information, the decision was read in the hearing of case number 62/PUU-XXII/2024. It is known that the judicial review was finally granted by the Constitutional Court after being tested 27 times, with five decisions rejected and the rest not accepted.
Leave a Reply