Thousands of people in Indonesia have taken to the streets to protest revisions to the country’s election laws that were seen as strengthening the political influence of outgoing President Joko Widodo. The parliament postponed ratifying the changes due to the lack of a quorum, causing uncertainty about when the law will be passed before regional elections next week.
The proposed changes would have overturned a constitutional court ruling, blocking a government critic from running for Jakarta governor and allowing Widodo’s son to run in upcoming elections in Java. This power struggle between the parliament and the judiciary has sparked concerns of a constitutional crisis in the world’s third-largest democracy.
Widodo has downplayed the situation, citing it as part of standard “checks and balances” in a democracy. However, protesters across multiple cities have accused him of destroying democracy, with some even calling the situation an oligarchy. The protests have included clashes with authorities, with tear gas being fired at demonstrators in Semarang.
Legal experts and analysts have criticized the government’s actions as “constitutional insubordination,” adding to the growing tension in the country’s political landscape. The protests have also escalated online, with social media flooded with warnings about the state of democracy in Indonesia.
Overall, the situation in Indonesia remains tense as the power struggle between different branches of government continues, sparking fears of a deeper crisis in the country’s democratic system.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com