(De)politicization of COVID-19 Pandemic in the Implementation of 2020 Simultaneous Regional Elections

Yuseptia Angretnowati,Palupi Anggraheni

doi:10.12962/j24433527.v0i0.8465

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) takes effect on state management in Indonesia. Good crisis management is necessary to mitigate COVID-19. This research uses Beland ‘s conceptual framework on politics of insecurity and its implementation on the state's management crisis process, especially on how the state protects its citizens towards non-traditional threads while performing political accountability. The 2020 Simultaneous Regional Election (Pilkada) during pandemic is positioned as a case study, especially on how policy conflicts and calculation of benefits-risks occur. It has a pivotal role in establishing perception of collective thread. In the case of 2020 Simultaneous Regional Election, conflict in policy creates social anxiety and political tension caused by a health crisis. This research finds that the government (de) politicized the 2020 Simultaneous Regional Elections by using a repertoire of types of strategies, i.e. avoiding blame and claiming credit, which were carefully compiled and implemented in a specific frame.

Highlights

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impactful effects on state affairs, especially in the strategy taken to respond to its the primary and secondary impacts
Several countries that are considered successful in controlling the spread of COVID19, such as Japan, South Korea and Italy, have prioritized a combination of the roles of the health sector and the state's apparatus as the main actors in the crisis management strategy in handling COVID-19
This research will try to focus on what factors whom influence the government's decision to hold 2020 Simultaneous Regional Elections amidst policy conflicts during the pandemic? This article aims to explore and build literature on the politics of insecurity embedded in the COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

Introduction

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impactful effects on state affairs, especially in the strategy taken to respond to its the primary and secondary impacts. World Health Organization announced the COVID -19 outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, based on recorded infection which reached more than 118,000 cases in more than 110 countries (Dhucarme, 2020). The status of a pandemic makes COVID a global threat, whom affects almost all aspects of human life, especially in human movement restriction. Several countries that are considered successful in controlling the spread of COVID19, such as Japan, South Korea and Italy, have prioritized a combination of the roles of the health sector and the state's apparatus as the main actors in the crisis management strategy in handling COVID-19.

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion