Indonesia protests: Widodo slammed for his political ambition, family’s lavish lifestyle

A plan to change Indonesia’s election law is seen by protesters as a move by Widodo to cement his family’s political influence

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A protester in Surabaya holds a Joko Widodo family caricature during a protest against a move to overturn a constitutional court ruling that changed eligibility rules for candidates in the general election later this year. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:22pm, 23 Aug 2024Updated: 8:29pm, 23 Aug 2024

The nationwide protests in Indonesia over proposed changes to the election law are seen by analysts as a reflection of public outrage over President Joko Widodo’s attempts to entrench his political influence and his family’s lavish lifestyle.

The resentment has tainted Widodo’s legacy before he steps down and hands power to President-elect Prabowo Subianto in October, according to analysts.

Thousands of protesters gathered on Thursday in front of the parliament building in Jakarta, with many holding banners denouncing Widodo’s political dynasty. One protester even built a mock guillotine to show disdain against the leader. Protests also took place in other cities including Yogyakarta, Bandung, Medan and Semarang.

The protests followed several days of legal drama that began when the constitutional court announced its ruling in two areas of the election law on Tuesday.

The court upheld the 30-year-old minimum age requirement for regional election candidates, a move that would block Widodo’s 29-year-old youngest son Kaesang Pangarep from running for deputy governor of Central Java in November.

Kaesang’s political party, Indonesian Solidarity Party, told reporters on Friday he was applying for a certificate to show he has never been convicted, a document required for him to run in the Central Java election.

The court also lowered the barrier of party representation for the nomination of candidates for regional elections. Such a rule would enable Anies Baswedan, a former presidential candidate and Widodo’s critic, to enter the Jakarta governorship race in November.