Indonesia on the Brink: Police Clash with Protesters as Constitutional Crisis Deepens
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Jakarta and other major cities across Indonesia, clashing with police as they denounced the government’s attempt to reverse a constitutional court ruling.
Excel Magazine International gathered that the protests, sparked by parliament’s emergency motion to overturn the court’s decision, have raised fears of a political crisis in the world’s third-largest democracy.
The constitutional court had ruled that parties no longer need a minimum 20% representation in regional assemblies to field a candidate, but parliament’s move to reverse this change has been widely condemned.
Observers say the power struggle between the parliament, dominated by the president’s supporters, and the constitutional court could have far-reaching consequences.
“This is a robbery of the constitution,” said Titi Anggraini, an elections analyst at the University of Indonesia.
The protests have also been fueled by concerns that the government is trying to maintain its grip on power, with many local elections expected to be uncontested affairs if the legislation is passed.
One protester, Joko Anwar, said the country’s leaders appeared to be intent on keeping themselves in power. “We have to take to the streets. We have no choice,” he said.
The Indonesian government has downplayed the dispute, but the protests show no signs of abating, with many calling for the government to respect the constitutional court’s ruling.
