Political Pragmatism, Single Candidate Predicted to Mushroom

The appearance of single candidate pairs during the 2024 simultaneous regional head elections is predicted to increase.

SUCIPTO

A banner inviting residents to vote blank or leave a blank box if they do not agree with the sole candidate in the 2020 regional elections in Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan, was displayed on Saturday (26/9/2020).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — It is predicted that single candidate pairs will increase in the 2024 simultaneous regional head elections if political parties use single candidate pairs as a strategy or effective way to win regional elections. In fact, the trend of single candidates continues to increase from regional election to the next regional election. This tendency actually raises concerns because the presence of a single candidate, among other things, is considered to be a reflection of political party pragmatism.

2024 Pilkada will be held simultaneously for the election of governors-deputy governors in 37 provinces as well as candidates for regents-deputy regents and candidates for mayors-deputy mayors in 508 districts/cities throughout Indonesia.

Based on Kompas's records, since single candidate pairs first appeared in the 2015 simultaneous regional elections, their numbers have continued to increase in the subsequent regional elections. In the 2015 Pilkada, only three regions held regional elections with a single candidate pair, then this increased to nine regions in the 2017 Pilkada and 16 regions in the 2018 Pilkada. Finally, in the 2020 Pilkada there were 25 regional elections held with a single candidate pair.

Also read: Nomination Requirements Increasingly Tough, Individual Route in 2024 Pilkada Predicted to be Low in Interest

Researcher of the Center for Political Research of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Firman Noor, believes that there are several factors that cause single candidates in local elections to emerge, such as regulations that govern the tightness of local election nomination, the cost of politics being expensive, and the failure of political parties to carry out their cadreship functions.

There are several factors that cause single candidate in regional elections to appear, such as increasingly strict regulations governing candidacy in regional elections, the high cost of politics, and the failure of political parties to carry out their cadre function.

"Actually, there are still many parties that want to challenge the single candidate. However, due to strict regulations, those political parties that do not have enough seat acquisition can only accept and cannot register their cadres to participate in the regional elections," said Firman when contacted on Monday (May 6, 2024).

Increased due to pragmatism

Firman predicts that the presence of a single candidate in the 2024 regional elections will increase even more. This is because there is a factor of political parties' pragmatism that makes them want to win easily. "Yes, they want to win directly. A single candidate opens up greater opportunities for victory compared to having an opponent," said Firman.

To be able to suppress the presence of a single candidate, said Firman, the method could be to eliminate the threshold for nominations for regional heads and deputy regional heads and lower the requirements for support from individual candidates.

Referring to Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning Regional Elections, the minimum threshold for nomination from political parties is 20 percent of seats in the Regional Representative Council or 25 percent of valid votes in the DPRD election. As for independent candidates, the requirement ranges from 6.5 percent to 10 percent of the total permanent voter list.

KOMPAS/INGKI RINALDI

Noor said

"The existence of a single candidate indeed harms the values ​​of democracy as an inclusive and ideas-based competition," said Firman.

According to Firman, hopes for the presence of independent candidates in the 2024 regional elections are also difficult to achieve if the regulations for support requirements are still heavy to fulfill. However, independent candidates can become an alternative choice for the community amidst the pragmatism of political parties.

The existence of a single candidate indeed harms the values ​​of democracy as an inclusive and ideas-based competition.

"This independent pathway revives hopes that the regional elections will be more democratic," said Firman.

Limited capital and political networks

Previously, the supervisor of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), Titi Anggraini, predicted on Sunday (5/5/2024) that independent candidate in the 2024 regional elections will have minimal interest. Apart from the heavy requirements, limited capital and political networks often make it difficult for them to compete with candidates supported by political party coalitions. Independent candidates also do not have structural power like political parties.

DEFRI WERDIONO

The KPPS officers at polling station 15 in the Budaya Cipta Housing Complex, Sukorejo Village, Ngasem District, Kediri Regency, East Java, are currently tallying the votes for the Kediri regional elections, which is contested by a single candidate. At this polling station, the Kediri Regent candidate, Hanindhito Himawan Pramono, also casted his vote.

However, the presence of independent candidates can be an option in the midst of political pragmatism by political parties taking advantage in the nomination for local elections. "Political parties often only focus on victory, so they are reluctant to work hard in promoting the party's organic cadres. Therefore, independent candidates can be an alternative political choice for voters," said Titi.

Parties are often only oriented towards winning so they are less willing to work hard to promote organic party cadres.

If we refer to the previous regional elections, the number of individual candidates taking part in the regional elections fluctuated, but tended to decrease. Based on Kompas' records, in the 2020 regional elections which were held in 270 regions, there were 61 pairs of independent candidates with a winning percentage of 8 percent. This number decreased compared to the 2018 Pilkada which was attended by 69 pairs of independent candidates with an electability percentage of 2.22 percent. In 2018, regional elections took place in 171 regions.

Also read: Single Candidate Hijacks Democracy

Then, in the 2017 regional elections held in 101 regions, there were 68 independent candidate pairs, almost half of what was seen in the 2015 regional elections which had 135 pairs. The percentage of successful independent candidates in the 2015 elections held in 269 regions reached 9.63 percent.

As for Regulation of the General Election Commission (PKPU) Number 2 of 2024 which regulates the stages and schedule of the 2024 Local Elections, the stages for independent candidate paths have started since Sunday (5/5/2024). Starting with the announcement of the submission of requirements for support from prospective candidates for regional heads and deputy heads (5-7 May), then the submission of support to the district/city or provincial KPU where the prospective candidates will compete will continue from 8-12 May 2024.