Critical Review of the Constitutional Court’s Decision on the Presidential Threshold

Tinjauan Kritis Mengenai Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi tentang Ambang Batas Pencalonan Presiden

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31078/jk2041

Keywords:

Election, Multiparties, Presidential Threshold, Political Party, Presidential

Abstract


This article aims to enrich the literature on the threshold for presidential candidacy in Indonesia by: Firstly, summarizing the main criticisms of its implementation; Secondly, refuting the arguments of the Constitutional Court regarding the threshold’s potential to increase political support for the elected President and reduce the number of political parties. This research employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing a literature study design and case studies involving the Constitutional Court’s decisions on the presidential candidacy threshold, along with previous studies on the relationship between political parties and the President. In general, we have found that the primary criticisms of setting the presidential candidacy threshold revolve around its potentially unconstitutional implementation and its contribution to political oligarchy. In practice, setting the presidential candidacy threshold is entirely unrelated to an increase in political support for the President and cannot reduce the number of political parties.

Author Biographies

Denny Indra Sukmawan, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional "Veteran" Jakarta, Indonesia

Denny Indra Sukmawan was born on October 8, 1990, in Mataram. He attended State Elementary School 3 Tanjung Karang, Junior High School 02 Mataram, and Senior High School 01 Mataram for his education. Later, he completed his bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran University. He then pursued his master's degree in Defence Management at the University of Defence. Currently, Denny is pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Liverpool, focusing on Politics (International Relations). Along with his role as an active educator at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional "Veteran" Jakarta's Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Denny is also involved in writing for print and digital media, conducting research, and providing policy consultations for various Ministries/Agencies.

Syaugi Pratama, The General Election Supervisory Agency, Indonesia

Syaugi Pratama holds a Master of Law degree from the Faculty of Law, Master of State Law, University of Indonesia. He has also completed a short course on "Managing Ethnic Conflict and Religious Violence" at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California. His work experience includes being a Junior Legal at Syarif Fadillah Law Office from 2013 to 2015, a Senior Legal at 218 Law Office from 2016 to 2018, a Non-permanent Lecturer at the Faculty of Law Usahid Jakarta in 2018, and a Judicial Dispute Analyst from 2019 to 2021. Currently, he serves as the First Expert Legal Analyst in the Legal and Public Relations Bureau of Bawaslu RI, and has previously held roles such as Acting Head of Subdivision of Dispute Resolution Process and Law of Bawaslu East Kalimantan Province and Non-permanent Lecturer at the Faculty of Sharia UIN Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris.

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Published

2023-12-01

How to Cite

Sukmawan, Denny Indra, and Syaugi Pratama. 2023. “Critical Review of the Constitutional Court’s Decision on the Presidential Threshold: Tinjauan Kritis Mengenai Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Tentang Ambang Batas Pencalonan Presiden”. Jurnal Konstitusi 20 (4):556-75. https://doi.org/10.31078/jk2041.

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