Written By Lisa Murimi
Police in Jakarta clashed with tens of thousands of protesters on Thursday as unrest spread across Indonesia in response to the government’s attempt to reverse a constitutional court ruling.Â
The scenes outside parliament turned chaotic, with a small group of protesters attempting to tear down the gates while others called for calm.
The protests, which also erupted in major cities such as Padang, Bandung, and Yogyakarta, were triggered by the government’s move to overturn a recent court decision.
On Wednesday, Indonesia’s top court ruled that political parties no longer needed 20% representation in regional assemblies to field candidates.
Within 24 hours, parliament, dominated by President Joko Widodo’s supporters, tabled an emergency motion to reverse the ruling.
The swift legislative move has sparked fears of a constitutional crisis.
A vote on the controversial bill was postponed on Thursday due to a lack of quorum, but if passed, it would maintain the current electoral system, benefiting the ruling coalition and likely preventing major government critic Anies Baswedan from running for Jakarta governor.
Protesters, including Joko Anwar, accused the government of trying to entrench its power, with some warning of the erosion of democratic freedoms.
Analysts have condemned the parliamentary action as unconstitutional, raising concerns about Indonesia’s political future.
