Thousands of protesters attempted to storm Indonesia’s parliament Thursday, tearing down part of the fence, hurling stones at police, and forcing the legislature to delay a crucial vote on contentious election law reforms that could boost the political clout of outgoing President Joko Widodo.
Parliament was set to convene an emergency session to overturn a ruling by the Constitutional Court on election procedures while amending another.
Demonstrators brandished banners and signs, with some igniting fires and burning tires.
The Constitutional Court on Tuesday dismissed a challenge to an age limit that prevents people younger than 30 from running for regional governorships, which would bar Widodo’s 29-year-old youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, from contesting a regional election in Central Java.
The court also made it easier for political parties to nominate candidates by reducing the requirement that they hold 20% of a local legislature.
Parliament passed an emergency motion changing the minimum age to serve as governor to 30 at the time of inauguration and further easing nomination requirements on Wednesday, and planned to ratify the vote in a plenary session Thursday.
The moves triggered widespread condemnation on social media and raised concerns about a potential constitutional crisis.
The legislature was forced to delay the vote after failing to achieve a quorum.
Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is the incoming vice president after the same court for the post for former regional leaders, while Widodo’s brother-in-law served as chief justice. He was criticized for participating in a case involving a close relative.
Activists, students, workers, and several Indonesian celebrities and musicians also joined the protest, voicing concerns about democracy in Indonesia.
Protests were also reported in other major cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar.
In Yogyakarta, at least 1,000 protesters, including students and workers, rallied in front of Yogyakarta’s Parliament building, the state palace, and the city’s ceremonial center. Their demands included voting down the regional election bill, respecting the Constitutional Court’s ruling, and rejecting political dynasties.
The simultaneous protests in the major cities reflected anger at Parliament’s efforts to override the Constitutional Court’s decision to allow more candidates to compete in regional elections, said Yoes Kenawas, a political analyst at Atma Jaya Catholic University.
“They also opposed the dynastic politics carried out by President Jokowi,” Kenawas said.
