Indonesia’s political maturity will be tested again in the 2024 General Elections or at least one-and-a-half years from now as the electoral contestation will begin. The stages of the elections have been carried out, and there have been nonsignificant obstacles, including the expiration of the terms of office of 271 regional heads (governors, regents and mayors) in 2022 and 2023, which have also been handled quite well by the government although they still receive criticism from the Indonesian Ombudsman. Indonesia assessed that there were at least three acts of maladministration that occurred in the appointment of acting regional heads.
Various strategic issues must be handled
Ahead of the 2024 elections, various strategic issues are predicted to heat up the national security situation before, during and after the elections such as the excess elections regional heads in 2022 and 2023; internal conflicts of many political parties; Execorruptor and ex-Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) who can run for election in 2024; the rise of surveys related to the presidential election and the coalition of political parties ahead of the 2024 elections.
For the time being, the General Elections Commission (KPU) have declared files from 24 parties complete. As for the Aceh local party, there are six parties that have been declared complete. The KPU will determine on December 14, 2022, if all of these political parties and candidates can participate in the 2024 elections or not.
Surveys results: Ganjar Pranowo and PDIP
A number of political parties were also detected as experiencing internal conflicts such as the Golkar Party, the Democratic Party, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP). In fact, in its latest development, PPP chairmanSuharso Monoarfa has been removed from his position at the PPP High Council National Working Meeting in Banten. The party named Muhammad Mardiono, who is also a member of the Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres), as the acting chairman.
From various survey results related to presidential candidates, several names such as Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil emerged as favorites. It is estimated that approaching the 2024 elections, the electability of Puan Maharani of the PDIP, currently the House of Representatives Speaker, will skyrocket. Meanwhile, political parties that are expected to walk in the 2024 elections are narrowed down to the top three namely PDIP, Gerindra Party and Golkar Party.
