The electoral law sparks massive protests

Thousands of people in Indonesia have gathered to protest their government’s efforts to reverse a constitutional court decision that will open elections to their rival minority parties.

Protesters gathered outside the parliament in the capital Jakarta, as well as other major cities such as Padang, Bandung and Yogyakarta.

On Wednesday, Indonesia’s highest court ruled that parties will not need at least 20% representation in their regional assemblies to field a candidate.

However, less than 24 hours later, parliament tabled an emergency motion to withdraw the changes – a move that sparked criticism and fears of a constitutional crisis.

The emergency legislation, which will reverse parts of the court’s ruling, is expected to be passed later on Thursday.

It will maintain the status quo, which favors the ruling parties of the outgoing president, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, and his successor, Prabowo Subianto. Because of this, most local elections are expected to be uncontested affairs.

The parliament’s decision also means that the government’s main critic, Anies Baswedan, will also be barred from running for governor of Jakarta.

The Indonesian government is also trying to find a way to deal with a constitutional court ruling to respect the minimum age limit of 30 for candidates, which will prevent Mr Widodo’s 29-year-old son, Kaesang Pangarep, from running in the Central constituency. Java.

Mr Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is the incoming vice president who ran alongside Mr Prabowo.

Observers say a power struggle between Indonesia’s parliament – which is dominated by Mr Widodo’s supporters – and the country’s constitutional court could exacerbate the political crisis.

But Mr Widodo played down the controversy, saying the amendments were part of the government’s “checks and balances”.

One of the protesters, Joko Anwar, said that the country’s leaders seem determined to stay in power.

In the end, we will just be a bunch of powerless things even though we are the ones who have empowered ourselves,” he said.

“We have to go on the road. There is nothing we can do,” he said.

On social media, blue posters with the words “Emergency Alert” above Indonesia’s symbolic national eagle were widely shared.

According to Titi Anggraini, who is an election analyst at the University of Indonesia, the parliament’s move to overturn the court’s decision is against the constitution.

“This is a robbery of the constitution,” he told BBC Indonesia.