Indonesia: Indonesia’s Constitutional Court has ruled the minimum age for presidential and vice presidential candidates. It is blocking the chance for President Mr. Joko Widodo’s eldest son to run for vice president next year.
Chief Justice Mr. Anwar Usman, the president’s brother-in-law, led a panel of nine judges who rejected the petition to lower the minimum age to 35 years from 40.
The judges stated that setting the age limit is the responsibility of lawmakers, and the petition lacked “reasoning according to law.”
The president cannot run for the next presidential and parliamentary elections as he has already served the maximum two terms. He was initially elected in 2014.
The Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has chosen Mr. Ganjar Pranowo, the Central Java governor, as their candidate for the February 2024 elections. Mr. Prabowo Subianto, currently the defense minister in Jokowi’s government, is also running for the same position. Prior to Mr. Prabowo’s appointment to Mr. Jokowi’s cabinet in 2019, the two were seen as fierce rivals.
The legal challenge to the age requirement for presidential and vice presidential candidates sparked rumors that Mr. Jokowi might be considering his 36-year-old son, Mr. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, for a possible run for the vice presidency.
The court’s decision confirms that Mr. Gibran cannot run for the position. Seven requests for a judicial review were sent to the court, all urging a reduction of the age limit to 35. One of the requests came from the Indonesian Solidarity Party, recognized for attracting younger voters.
Interestingly, Mr. Jokowi’s youngest son, Mr. Kaesang Pangarep, now leads this party as its chair.
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