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Post-elections, it’s hard to find grace and move on
A unique phenomenon following elections in Indonesia is that often the losers in the election still scramble for seats in the winner’s government, creating unhappiness among the supporters of the opposition, for giving up their hearts for seats.
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In Indonesia the losers and the winners are involved in a group hug, except for a few hard-liners who have disowned Prabowo. Yet everybody is unhappy. (JP/Budhi Button)
T
he Americans are struggling with a problematic president, the British have just elected a new prime minister for the problematic Brexit. Indonesia just elected a second-term president and confirmed the decision against a court challenge. There are a few faultfinders who seek to extend their social media spotlight beyond 15 minutes. The losers are unhappy but the winners seem to be the same.
They say the path to happiness is defined by democracy. Until now, the debate has centered on finding that path and its cost. We have not had much of a chance to test it, but democratic nations are said to be happy nations.
This idea is appealing and suggests that we can quickly fix our problems: Adopt a democratic constitution, and live happily ever after. That has been the firm belief of our nation builders since the dawn of our beloved republic. Loyalty to democracy is still a nonnegotiable principle for most if not all of the proponents of civil liberties and human rights to this day.
Have our nation builders been mistaken? Not necessarily. It is not that democracies make people happy but, rather the reverse is true. Happy people make democracies.
However it does not mean that as a result those happy people will always be full of smiles and laughter. Many would argue that in recent years elections in Indonesia have become fierce battlegrounds instead of cheerful competitions. And yet in every election there are winning parties or candidates and there are losing parties or candidates.
After the end of a “fierce battle” when the competitors have seemingly been against each other to the last drop of blood, they forgive each other. People say they forgive each other when there is nothing to forgive.
But do they move on and find constructive things to do? It is hard to turn the competitive spirit on and off. Democracy is a competition. Somebody has to lose. And you have to find grace.
