JAKARTA, Jan 3 (NNN-ANTARA) – The Indonesian Constitutional Court, yesterday, abolished presidential and vice-presidential nomination threshold, providing every political party with equal rights to nominate their candidates.
The court declared that, Article 222 of Law Number 7 of 2017, concerning General Elections was unconstitutional and no longer legally binding. The provision had previously required political parties to secure at least 20 percent of valid national votes or 25 percent of House of Representatives seats, to nominate candidates, which was seen as restricting the rights of smaller political parties and voters.
Head of the Constitutional Court, Suhartoyo, explained that continuing to implement the threshold would conflict with citizens’ political rights and limit alternative choices in presidential elections.
The law had been challenged by a group of university students, who argued that it restricted the rights of voters and smaller political parties.
Indonesia holds presidential elections every five years.– NNN-ANTARA
