Relationship between voters and parties weakening: LSI

Relationships between political parties and their voters are weakening, the latest survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) shows.

The LSI said one indicator was a decrease in voter participation in the last three general elections.

"In 10 years (1999-2009) the participation of voters has declined. After 12 years of elections, voters feel more alienated from the parties," LSI chief researcher Saiful Mujani said Sunday, as quoted by kompas.com.

After elections in 1999, 2004 and 2009, there was a 20 percent-decline in the number of voters. 93.3 percent of eligible voters exercised their voting rights in 1999, but in 2004 the numbers decreased to 84.9 percent and it continued to drop in 2009 to 70.99 percent.

The survey carried out between May 15 and 25 raised the following question "Do you feel closer to a particular party?" Only 20 percent of the respondents said "yes", while 78.8 percent replied "no" and 1.2 percent answered "I don't know".

"Even if they were to vote this time round, their choice [of party] would be undecided and would easily change just like in 1999, 2004 and 2009," Mujani said.

“This is an indication of the weak psychological bond and trust voters have with political parties.”

The survey covered 1,220 respondents, and had a 2.9 percent margin of error and a 95 percent confidence level. The survey method was face-to-face interviews.