Threats to Indonesian Democracy After the 2024 Election
PUSKAPOL UI PRESS RELEASE
September 5, 2024
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, PUSKAPOL UI in collaboration with ALGORITMA Research and Consulting successfully held a public discussion entitled “Threats to Democracy in Indonesia: Learning from the Experience of Southeast Asian Countries.” The event was held at the Mochtar Riady Auditorium, Building C, 2nd Floor, FISIP UI Campus, and was attended by academics, journalists, students, and the general public. The discussion opened with a brief note from the Dean of FISIP UI, Prof. Dr. Semiarto Aji Purwanto, who shared his reflections on the current state of threats to democracy in Indonesia compared to neighboring countries in the Southeast Asian region.
This discussion presented three speakers, namely Dr. Andreas Ufen (Senior Research Fellow, German Institute Global and Area Studies), Dr. Hurriyah (Executive Director of PUSKAPOL UI), and Dr. Fajar Nursahid (Director of Research and Program ALGORITMA Research and Consulting). The discussion was moderated by Teuku Harza Mauludi, M.P.P. (Researcher at PUSKAPOL UI), who directed the discussion according to each speaker’s field of expertise.
The first speaker, Andreas Ufen, provided an in-depth look at the challenges facing Indonesia. Ufen highlighted the trend of democratic backsliding in Indonesia, which is increasingly evident through authoritarian patterns emerging under President Jokowi’s administration. He argued that there are systemic problems within Indonesia’s presidential-based political parties, which are making them less ideological. Ufen also compared the Indonesian political landscape to the experience of Germany, where ideological cleavages, such as over environmental issues, have not yet occurred in Indonesia. However, Ufen remains optimistic that Indonesian democracy still demonstrates considerable resilience, supported by strong civil society control.
The second speaker, Hurriyah, responded to this optimism more cautiously. Hurriyah argued that the erosion of democracy currently occurring in Indonesia is extremely worrying. She added that one of the causes of this condition is the role of some civil society figures who actually act as enablers, weakening oversight mechanisms that should be carried out by non-state actors. This is supported by a survey conducted by Algoritma. Fajar Nursahid conveyed the reality of Indonesian politics, which is exacerbated by the co-option of grassroots movements. This is demonstrated, for example, by the many activists and intellectuals who have “shifted quadrants” to become tools of the authorities, resulting in the fragmentation of civil society. As a result, there is no strong opposition, which ultimately gives political elites room to make arbitrary policy decisions.
The discussion progressed to a feedback and question-and-answer session, where several participants shared their critical reflections and concerns about the future of democracy in Indonesia. The focus of the discussion was to find solutions to improve and save democracy from various existing threats.
The moderator concluded the discussion by emphasizing the importance of critical awareness among activists, including the younger generation, in upholding democratic values. This is expected to create synergy to collectively combat threats that could undermine the established democratic order. This effort can be achieved through an active role in the politics of ideas that avoids cult-like tendencies, including the formation of new, more programmatic parties. However, to realize a more substantial democracy, institutional changes, such as revising political party regulations, are still needed.
