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2024 election could be nadir of women's representation, say analysts
Watchdogs, analysts and observers are concerned that next year’s legislative election could result in fewer female lawmakers, as only one political party has met the minimum 30 percent requirement for female candidates across all electoral districts in the country.
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A woman and two children drive on Aug. 11, 2023 past a billboard for the 2024 general election in Cibinong, Bogor regency, West Java. (Antara/Yulius Satria Wijaya)
Political parties claim to have met the minimum national quota of 30 percent for female candidates, but a recent report has found that only one party competing in the 2024 legislative election meets the requirement at the district level.
For two decades since the enactment of the 2003 Legislative Elections Law, each political party contesting a legislative election has been required to field a cohort of candidates of which at least 30 percent are female.
The final list of 2024 legislative candidates issued by the General Elections Commission (KPU) indicates that all 18 political parties competing for the 580 seats in the House of Representatives have met the requirement for female candidates.
But according to a report from election watchdog Network for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (Netgrit) and a group of civil organizations focusing on female government representation, only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has fulfilled the quota in each of the country’s 84 electoral districts.
It is followed by the youth-oriented Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), which has met the quota in 80 districts.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) have the lowest proportion of female candidates, meeting the 30 percent requirement in 60, 58 and 55 districts, respectively.
“[The national] regulation clearly mandates every political party to field at least 30 percent of female candidates in each electoral district,” said Hadar Nafis Gumay of Netgrit, emphasizing that no political parties should fail to meet this requirement.
