The House of Representatives has approved a new regulation on nomination requirements for the upcoming regional head elections that complies with a set of Constitutional Court rulings that legislators had previously sought to override.

In an apparent change of tone, president-elect Prabowo Subianto and his Gerindra Party are rallying support to back the Constitutional Court after the House of Representatives attempted to roll back court-ordered changes to the Regional Elections Law and was met with widespread protests.

The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) said its chairman Kaesang Pangarep, who along with wife Erina Gudono has become the subject of public anger on social media following their luxurious trip to the United States amid nationwide protests, would not contest in any gubernatorial elections in November.

Speaking at a National Mandate Party (PAN) national congress in Jakarta, he said that politicians and political parties asked for the mandate for power from the people, therefore, they must put the people above themselves.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Thursday said the party might support Anies Baswedan’s reelection bid for Jakarta governor if he is willing to follow the party’s lead.

The House of Representatives postponed on Thursday the passing of a controversial revision to the Regional Elections Law that seeks to override two Constitutional Court rulings on candidate nomination requirements for the November regional elections.

Lawmakers have finished a rush revision to the Regional Elections Law in an effort to override two Constitutional Court rulings on candidate nomination requirements for the November regional head elections, a move activists say seeks to subvert the court’s efforts to ensure more competitive polls.

The House of Representatives legislation body (Baleg) is in the spotlight for rushing to revise the regional head elections law, reportedly in an attempt to circumvent new rules for candidate nomination the Constitutional Court introduced on Tuesday, three months before the polls.

A large 10-party alliance led by Prabowo's KIM has rallied behind Golkar's Ridwan Kamil, potentially bringing an end to Anies's hopes of being reelected Jakarta governor.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) Jakarta office is under fire following reports that the identities of the city’s voters were used without their consent to support the only independent candidate pair eligible to run in the November gubernatorial race.

The local election agency has set up seven posts across Jakarta to manage complaints from residents on the unauthorized use of their identity by independent pair Dharma Pongrekun and Kun Wardana in fulfilling the candidacy requirements.

Many Jakarta residents have been shocked to find their names were used without their consent to support candidate pair Dharma Pongrekun and Kun Wardana, who are running as independents in the upcoming gubernatorial race.

NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh has given his strongest signal yet that his party is now considering calling off its early support for the reelection bid of popular former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and instead exploring the possibility of endorsing his already heavily favored potential rival: Ridwan Kamil.

While he is currently touted as the front-runner in November's Jakarta gubernatorial race, the former governor could find himself left out in the cold amid the continually shifting political alliances as parties look to back a surefire winner.

With just a little over two weeks to go until candidate registration opens, the PDI-P is racing to clinch political deals to prevent uncontested regional polls in November as other parties show signs of inching toward joining the ranks of Prabowo's KIM.

Political analysts have noted a growing trend in candidates running unopposed in regional elections across the country, reversing a positive trend since the first direct regional elections were held that may undermine democratic values.

In preparation for the country’s simultaneous regional elections in November, political parties have been forming large alliances and jointly nominating candidates, putting popular hopefuls on shaky ground and leaving little room for competition.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said it would not let former member Bobby Nasution run uncontested in the upcoming gubernatorial election in North Sumatra, as the possibility grows of nominating former governor Edy Rahmayadi as a challenger to the party’s heavily favored rival.

In a move hailed as enforcing campaign finance transparency, the KPU has announced a draft regulation that requires reporting on contributions from political supporters and supporters’ groups.

The Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM) has begun to coalesce around the bid of Ridwan Kamil in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial race and is now seeking to bring into its fold more political parties from rival camps, putting the potential bid of frontrunner Anies Baswedan at risk.

With less than a month before election registration is scheduled to open on Aug. 27, former South Sulawesi governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman has secured enough political support after being officially backed by three political parties. He potentially faces Makassar Mayor Mohammad Ramdhan "Danny" Pomanto who also has received support from three other parties in the South Sulawesi gubernatorial election in November.

Senior Gerindra Party politician Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said he was not worried by the fact that his party’s partner was closing in on a deal to join forces with a rival party to challenge the possible bid of Gerindra’s Andra Soni in the coming Banten gubernatorial election.

As the regional head elections draw near, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has not yet been able to convert votes into legislative seats after the Constitutional Court received fresh petitions on  legislative election disputes.  

An official at the West Java KPU implied this was a normal part of verifying local voter lists, especially since the TNI and the National Police recruitment processes concluded just last month.

Former Surabaya mayor Tri “Risma” Rismaharini and prominent Muslim cleric Marzuki Mustamar have emerged as viable contenders in the East Java election as their potential backers intensify talks to join forces to challenge the possible reelection bid of popular former governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa.

Former graft convict Irman Gusman has won a seat at the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), in a revote in the West Sumatra electoral district earlier this month that was ordered by the Constitutional Court.

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution, the son-in-law of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, is leading in an early public opinion poll for prospective candidates in the coming North Sumatra gubernatorial race.