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PKS first to sign up legislative candidates ahead of Sunday deadline
Though candidate registration for the legislative elections has been open since last Monday, it appears that most parties are dragging their feet in getting their lists to the KPU.
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A man casts his ballot on April 17, 2019 at a polling station in Banjar Blungbang of Penarungan village, Badung regency, Bali, during the simultaneous legislative and presidential election. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)
Political parties vying for seats in national legislature in 2024 seem to be waiting until the last minute to register their candidates, as the General Elections Commission (KPU) moved into the second and final week of registration on Monday.
So far, only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which currently holds 8.7 percent of seats at the House of Representatives, has registered its candidates.
A total of 18 political parties will vie for 580 House seats during the legislative election, to be held concurrently with the presidential election on Feb. 14, 2024.
The KPU's candidate registration for both national and regional legislatures runs from May 1 to 11:59 p.m. on May 14. And while registration opened roughly nine months before election day, the verified candidates will not be announced until November, around three weeks before the campaign season starts.
Candidates for the national legislative election must be registered with the KPU headquarters in Central Jakarta, while those intending to contest the elections for the provincial, regency or municipal legislative councils (DPRD) must register with the corresponding local KPU office.
Kicking off with a ceremonial march from nearby Suropati Park, PKS chair Ahmad Syaikhu and secretary-general Aboe Bakar Al-Habsyi led its members to the KPU’s Jakarta headquarters, where KPU chairman Hasyim Asy’ari personally welcomed the delegates.
“While we know registration has been open since May 1, our plan was always to submit our registration [documents] on May 8,” Syaikhu said on Monday, underlining that the number 8 was the party’s designated election number for 2024.
