JAKARTA, Indonesia: In preparation for the upcoming 2024 elections, Indonesia’s highest court has delivered a definitive ruling against reducing the minimum age for presidential and vice presidential candidates. The decision, announced on Monday, firmly asserts that the existing age requirements will remain unchanged and cannot be contested.
In August, a group of seven politicians, representing the Indonesian Solidarity Party and led by the youngest son of current President Joko Widodo, challenged the current age limit for candidates. They sought to lower the age threshold from 40 to 35, arguing that the existing age requirement was discriminatory.
The nine-judge panel of the Constitutional Court voted 7 to 2, dismissing the arguments put forth by the petitioners. The court emphasized that it is not within its purview to alter the age limit for candidates and stated that the responsibility for setting such laws rests with the parliament.
However, two judges expressed the view that while the age limit should be upheld as is, a special exception could be made for individuals who have served or been elected as regional leaders.
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One prominent figure affected by this decision is Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of President Joko Widodo, currently serving as the Mayor of Surakarta. Although Gibran, at the age of 36, is eligible to run, he has not made a formal announcement regarding his candidacy. Nevertheless, there have been public endorsements for Gibran to join former general Prabowo Subianto as a running mate for the 2024 presidential election.
Indonesia ranked as the world’s third-largest democracy, is scheduled to hold simultaneous legislative and presidential elections in February 2024. The Supreme Court’s ruling has clarified the standing age requirement for presidential and vice presidential candidates, setting the stage for the electoral process.
