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Indonesia's appointed leaders and the future of regional elections
Journal article   Open access

Indonesia's appointed leaders and the future of regional elections

Ian Douglas Wilson
Perspective, Vol.2023(57)
2023
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Published1.21 MBDownloadView
Open Access

Abstract

Indonesian politics elections democracy Government and politics of Asia and the Pacific
• By the end of 2023, there will be 271 interim regional heads who are appointed rather than elected, accounting for more than half of the regional leadership posts throughout Indonesia. • The legal basis of the interim leader appointment process has been contentious and subject to challenge, especially when some of the appointees have a substantial term in office before the next election, or when they execute significant policy changes. • Critics argue that handpicked interim leaders are beholden to those who have appointed them and would use the advantages of incumbency to promote central government interests, and unfairly favour some stakeholders over others in the 2024 elections. • The phenomenon of appointed interim leaders has intertwined with renewed questioning by political parties and elites of the legitimacy and future of regional elections with senior government ministers, among others, proposing a return to the political appointment of regional leaders and the ending of democratic elections.

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