Indonesia’s Election Commission Sets Sights on Polls in 2024
Indonesia’s Election Commission Sets Sights on Polls in 2024
(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia’s election commission has pushed ahead with preparations for polls in 2024 amid speculation that there are plans for President Joko Widodo to extend his rule.
The commission has conducted simulations for the election and has set the date for Feb. 21, 2024, Commissioner Evi Novida Ginting said on Tuesday. It consulted with lawmakers and governments on the timing of the election but there was no consensus, she added.
Widodo’s administration has pushed for a May 15, 2024 election. The election date should have been set by Oct. 20, or two years before the next president assumes the role.
“We believe that we have the authority to set the date for the election, but before deciding, of course we need to listen to opinions and receive input from all stakeholders,” Ginting said.
The timing of Indonesia’s next election is closely watched amid public concern that Widodo, also known as Jokowi, would seek to extend his final term or push for a constitutional amendment to rule for another five-year round -- a move that he has consistently rejected.
While polls are still years away, politicians are already buying up billboards around the country. The early maneuvering is likely “aggravated by the absence of any candidate from any party with a clearly high electability level, and compounded by the many possible permutations for coalition-building,” Max Lane, visiting senior fellow at ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, wrote in a Nov. 9 report.
Jokowi remains popular among voters, but his approval rating has dropped to the lowest in five years according to an August poll that showed about 59% of respondents were satisfied with his performance.
The election commission is preparing for Feb. 21, 2024, as it expects to be able to hold national polls along with legislative and regional elections at the same time without overburdening the budget, she added.
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