REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Candidates for legislative members of the DPR in 2024 elections did not reach 30 percent in a number of electoral districts (constituencies). Although the fulfillment of the 30 percent quota is mandatory, Indonesian Election Committee (KPU RI) admitted that it cannot impose sanctions on political parties that violate it.

Failure to meet the quota of 30 percent of women appears in the Permanent Candidates List (DCT) of Members of Parliament established by the Commission last week. Based on a random search conducted by expert from the University of Indonesia, Titi Anggraini found that there are still many lists of candidates who do not meet the 30 percent quota.

In Bengkulu Constituency which contested four seats of DPR members, for example. It turned out that the Golkar Party, PKS, the Hanura Party, the Democratic Party, and the Ummat Party nominated one woman from the four candidates they fielded. That is, the representation of women is only 25 percent.

In the Aceh 1 electoral district which contested seven seats the DPR members were also similar. Only Labour Party, PKS, Hanura Party, Garuda Party, PAN, PSI, Perindo, and PPP met the 30 percent quota of female candidates. The other 10 political parties did not meet the 30 percent quota in the constituency.

Titi explained that the fulfillment of the quota of 30 percent of women candidates in each constituency is a mandate of Article 245 of the Election Law. The provision has also been confirmed by the Supreme Court ruling that, “in the event that 30 percent of the number of prospective women candidates in each constituency yields a fractional figure, rounding up is carried out”.

That 30 percent female representation, Titi said, was not on a national average, but rather had to be met in every constituency. This provision has been in place since the 2014 and 2019 elections.

“When there is a party that does not meet the representation of women at least 30 percent in the list of candidates (in a constituency), then the party is disqualified from participating in the elections in that constituency,” Titi said in his statement on Monday (6/11/2023).

She also strongly criticizes the RI Commission, which still allows political parties to contest the seats of members of Parliament in a constituency despite failing to meet the quota of 30 percent of female candidates. “Of course it's very ironic. The Commission is actually an actor in weakening the representation of women in politics in the 2024 elections,” she said.

Titi stressed that the Commission cannot argue that there is no provision for sanctions for parties that do not carry 30 percent of women in a constituency. Therefore, the fulfillment of the 30 percent quota is a mandatory requirement when submitting candidates.

“If the Commission still passes, it can be said that the Commission has rebelled against the order of the Law and also the ruling of the MA,” said the representative of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem).

Meanwhile, KPU Commissioner Idham Holik reiterated the statement of the Chairman of KPU RI Hashim Asy'ari that on an accumulative national average, the representation of women is 37.13 percent. When asked what sanctions were given to political parties that did not meet the 30 percent quota in a number of constituencies, Idham said no punishment could be given.

“Article 245 and Article 246 paragraph 2 of Law No. 7 of 2017 together with their explanations make it clear (that there are no consequences for political parties that do not meet the quota of 30 percent of women candidates in a constituency),” Idham told reporters on Monday.

On Friday (3/11/2023), KPU RI appointed 9,917 persons to enter DCT Members of Parliament for 2024 elections. It consisted of 6,241 male and 3,676 female candidates. They overall fielded 18 political parties to fight in 84 constituencies.

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