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Indonesia’s parliament has abandoned a controversial plan to change its electoral rules, officials announced on Thursday, after thousands of people gathered in the capital to rally against a move seen as helping the outgoing president build a political dynasty.
Parliament is preparing to overturn a Constitutional Court ruling upholding age requirements for candidates that made President Joko Widodo’s youngest son ineligible to run in upcoming regional elections.
Lawmakers initially postponed Thursday’s session as thousands of protesters became rowdy outside parliament. As the day wore on, protests grew, with students and office workers joining in despite water cannons and riot police.
Parliament subsequently announced that it would scrap the proposed reforms during this election, in an apparent policy reversal.
“It has been officially decided that the amendment to the regional election law cannot proceed. This means today’s amendment is canceled,” Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasko Ahmed told reporters after clashes between protesters and police.
Protesters set tyres on fire and set off firecrackers while chanting slogans against Widodo, better known as Jokowi.
AFP reporters saw a small number of demonstrators tear down parts of the concrete and metal fencing around parliament and try to enter the building, but police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse them.
“I am here because my country is on the verge of destruction. These lawmakers have deceived the people,” protester Mohammad Saleh Zakaria, 64, told AFP.
Late Thursday, some protesters were still setting fires in front of the Capitol and trying to break through the Capitol fence.
The move comes months after Widodo’s eldest son, Jibran Rakabumin Raka (36), was elected as Indonesia’s youngest vice president, sparking accusations of nepotism.
Protests were also reported in Yogyakarta, Makassar, Bandung and Semarang.
Jokowi’s office tried to quell the unrest.
“The government hopes that there will be no false information or slander that could cause chaos and violence,” palace spokesman Hassan Nasbi told reporters.
Jokowi’s youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, 29, is expected to take on a key position in regional elections in November.
The president’s allies have been trying to find a way to circumvent the current 30-year minimum age for candidates so that it applies to the inauguration. Kaishang will turn 30 in December.
Experts say Indonesians are beginning to grow frustrated with Jokowi and his attempts to retain political influence.
“People are angry about the continued manipulation of our democracy,” said Ika Idris, a Jakarta-based politics expert at Monash University’s Centre for Data and Democracy.
“Obviously, they want to expand their power.”
Jokowi is also accused of helping to install his successor, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is due to take office in October.
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