The Relevance of Presidential Threshold Implementation in the 2024 Concurrent Elections

Abstract

The strengthening of the presidential system of government in Indonesia was carried out after the amendment of the 1945 Constitution from 1999-2002. The affirmation of this presidential system is manifested, one of which is that the President is not a mandatary of the People's Consultative Assembly anymore. This is in line with the commitment of the Indonesian nation to realise a democratic rule of law. The president as the head of government is directly elected by the people. The first direct presidential election was held in 2004. In presidential elections, a threshold is applied known as the Presidential Threshold. In the 2024 election, the presidential threshold provision is still maintained where the pair of presidential candidates proposed by a political party or a combination of political parties participating in the election who meet the requirements of obtaining at least 20% of the total DPR seats or obtaining 25% of the valid votes nationally in the previous DPR member election. Presidential threshold in elections in Indonesia raises pros and cons. On the one hand, the presidential threshold can simplify political parties so as to strengthen the presidential system. In addition, the implementation of the presidential threshold can realise government stability, especially in relations between executive and legislative institutions. But on the other hand, the application of the presidential threshold in simultaneous elections needs to be reconsidered because it is based on the votes in ,the previous election. This is allegedly able to reduce the people's right to nominate alternative presidential candidates.