Hope for Democracy

ANTARA FOTO/IRFAN ANSHORI

A resident shows a ballot during a revote for the East Java gubernatorial election at TPS 08 polling station in Kepanjenlor, Blitar, East Java, Sunday (1/7/2018). As a result of neglect by the Polling Station Working Committee (KPPS) on Wednesday (27/6/2018), the East Java chapter of the General Elections Commission (KPU) ordered the revote at four polling stations each in four areas, namely Surabaya, Blitar, Kediri and Jombang.

The regional elections last Wednesday (27/6/2018) have raised new hope for the future of democracy. The elections proceeded safely, smoothly and peacefully. Experts say that the elections showcased our nation’s vibrant democracy, one that is very much alive and well.

The regional elections were not only a political event. It was also a celebration of our cultural diversity. Polling stations were adorned with beautiful decorations, while voters and polling station workers displayed their creativity by showing up in traditional clothing or as superheroes, vampires and local ghouls and ghosts. All this rejects the idea that democracy has been choked by pessimism and apathy.

In the past two decades, pessimism has been growing around the world regarding the future of democracy. This is seen in the rise of populist and identity politics across Europe and the United States. Pessimism has also been on the rise about the future of democracy as a political system and process with the failure of democracies in many Muslim nations in the Middle East and South Asia. The Arab Spring that has been occurring since 2011 in several Muslim-majority countries has left no more hope.

Among the countries that were hit by the Arab Spring – including Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Iraq – only Tunisia still holds out hope for developing democracy in a West Asia and North Africa (WANA) Muslim-majority country.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Wearing wayang orang costumes, polling station (KPPS) officers at the TPS 12 polling station in Morokrembangan village, Krembangan district, Surabaya, count ballots cast in the 2018 East Java gubernatorial election on Wednesday (27/6/2018).

The concerns over democracy’s future is closely linked to the success of a handful of countries that have a totalitarian “one-party” system. China and Singapore, with their internal party elections or national elections, have been more effective in achieving progress and in social welfare. On the other hand, competitive multi-party democracies like Indonesia have yet to produce effective national and local governments that can fulfill the promises of democracy. Constant political friction and competition among various political powers, in both the executive and the legislative, have undermined effective government.

These two major trends – populist politics and ineffective liberal democracy – have led to further concerns among experts and proponents of democracy. The problem is that, if these trends continue, more and more people will seek alternative political systems, including military or civilian authoritarianism, or even theocracies such as an Islamic state or caliphate (dawlah Islamiyah).

Amid this pessimism, the 2018 regional elections have provided us with many great lessons on democracy in a Muslim-majority country. Following the relatively smooth and peaceful transition to democracy in 1999, Indonesia has proven that democracy is compatible with not only Islam, but also civility.

The 2018 regional elections have shown us that identity politics is irrelevant in Indonesia. We have multi-party coalitions that transcend ideological and religio-political boundaries. Islamic political parties, such as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) or the United Development Party (PPP), are comfortable in building coalitions with nationalist parties such as Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) or Gerindra. These coalitions backed candidates in the gubernatorial, regency and mayoral elections.

KOMPAS/LASTI KURNIA

Azyumardi Azra

Another phenomenon that gives hope for a healthier and more consolidated democracy with an increasingly rational electorate is that voters across many regions chose candidates based on their track record and not on their adherence to certain ideologies. Consequently, new and reformist leaders successfully toppled oligarchical elites and dynasties in many regions. This shows that voters have applied the democratic principle of reward and punishment to certain candidates and the political parties that backed them.

The 2018 regional elections have revived our dreams of democracy. This is important for the future of Indonesia’s democracy. We should be optimistic that the 2019 election will also proceed well, safely and peacefully – in the name of democracy.

Azyumardi Azra, Professor, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta; member, AIPI Culture Commission