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Depok mayoral election a 'test' for PKS’ political dominance
Depok's current leadership have split up to take on one another as candidates in next week's mayoral election.
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Workers from the Depok General Elections Commission (KPU) stack ballot boxes at a warehouse in Cimanggis district, Depok, West Java, on Nov. 25. The Depok KPU has started distributing supplies throughout the city in preparation for the 2020 regional elections on Dec 9. (JP/P.J. Leo)
T
he 2020 mayoral race in Depok, West Java next week will mostly be a test to see whether the Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) can maintain its years of political dominance in the city, experts have said.
Two candidate pairs, each with an equal chance of winning the contest, will be competing this year in Jakarta’s southerly neighbor, which is just one of 270 regions to be holding simultaneous elections on Dec. 9.
The first election candidate is incumbent mayor M. Idris, who has the backing of the PKS, the dominant political force in the city. Idris also enjoys support from the Democratic Party and the United Development Party (PPP).
Depok has been known as a PKS stronghold for the past 15 years, with its endorsed candidates going on to win the mayoral elections in 2005, 2010 and 2015. The party is also a dominant force in the Depok Regional Council (DPRD), having taken 12 of the total 50 seats, or nearly a quarter of the city’s councilors.
However, Idris will have to go up against his current deputy, Pradi Supriatna, who came into the contest with an altogether different kind of political support.
Pradi’s candidacy has been endorsed by six parties, comprising the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Gerindra, Golkar, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI).
These six parties currently have 33 Depok council seats between them, more than double the amount of councilors backing Idris’ ticket. Experts have said that this makes Pradi a worthy opponent in this year’s election.
