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A political algorithm for the 2024 presidential election
Successful candidates have always inspired the public to make strong efforts to support them.
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Supporters of Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gather for a rally. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
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bout two years from now, for the fifth time, Indonesians will directly elect their president. Naturally, those aspiring to run for the office have organized their resources and networks to set themselves up as viable candidates for the presidency.
As President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s time in office is limited to two five-year terms, the field is wide open for political party leaders, ministers, governors and other personalities to try to get their names on the ballot.
While several leading figures seem to have a lead in the polls, none has yet made a breakthrough to be the most viable candidate. Prabowo Subianto, a two-time contender for the job, is among those in front, but his numbers are far from his own in previous runs.
In the tale of three governors – Anies Baswedan of Jakarta, Ganjar Pranowo of Central Java and Ridwan Kamil of West Java – none has a big enough lead to convince political party leaders to give any of these younger figures a ticket.
For these hopefuls, a look to past races could assist them in navigating the upcoming competition. From four previous elections, we can derive several key features and experiences from successful campaigns to devise a political algorithm for the upcoming election season.
Political parties, too, need to use this algorithm to weigh any candidate – internal or external – who they are considering lending support to. If they fail to do so, they will lose the chance to be on the winning side.
This political algorithm focuses on character, content and constituency.
