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Pro-Prabowo parties signal support for abolishing direct regional polls
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Democracy at work: Workers at a polling station in Jakarta check voters' administrative details on Nov. 27 before people cast their ballots in the 2024 regional head elections, which was conducted simultaneously for the first time across 37 provinces and more than 500 cities and regencies. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
M
embers of the ruling coalition have signaled support for President Prabowo Subianto’s suggestion to roll back direct regional head elections to cut costs, despite heavy criticism from pro-democracy advocates who believe that would be a setback to democracy.
Prabowo last week suggested that he would support the idea of having governors, regents and mayors be appointed by members of local legislatures, an old system that was used during the authoritarian rule of late president Soeharto.
But any changes to the election systems will need a revision to the prevailing regional elections law, which mandates direct election.
While there has been no formal discussion yet at the House of Representatives, some pro-government parties have suggested that they might support scrapping direct regional elections on the grounds of the financial burden that direct polls impose on the state coffer and politicians.
Among them is the Golkar Party, the second-largest party by representation in the House, even bigger than Prabowo’s own Gerindra Party, the de facto leader of the ruling coalition.
Golkar called for a "comprehensive review” of the prevailing electoral system to make it more “efficient”.
“Direct regional elections have been very expensive, and it is not just in terms of organizing the elections [by the election agency], but also financing candidates [by political parties],” Golkar secretary-general Sarmuji said on Saturday.
