Political Indicator: Many Citizens Still Consider Political Dynasties Normal

Public opinion on the issue of political dynasties in Indonesia is divided. This is in line with the results of a poll released by the survey institute Indikator Politik Indonesia.

The survey reveals this division stems from respondents' perceptions of political dynasties as worrying, commonplace, frequent, or even not worrying at all.

Specifically, a majority, or 47.6% of respondents, stated that political dynasties in Indonesia are worrying. This figure comprises 14.6% who said they were very worried and 33% who were quite worried.

Although the proportion of those worried is larger, the number of respondents who stated that political dynasties are commonplace is also significant, at 33.7%.

"Even though we or the media highlight the negative practices of political dynasties, they are not unfamiliar in our society," said Indikator's Executive Director Burhanuddin Muhtadi in a virtual presentation of the survey on Thursday (27/10/2023).

The proportion of respondents who are not worried about political dynasties in Indonesia is smaller, at 7.5%. This consists of 5.9% who are not very worried and 1.6% who are not worried at all.

The remaining 11.3% of respondents responded "don't know" or "didn't answer" (TT/TJ) regarding the issue.

The issue of political dynasties has come to the forefront of public attention in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, partly due to the candidacy of President Joko Widodo's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as a prospective vice-presidential candidate (cawapres) alongside Prabowo Subianto. Gibran's path to candidacy is seen as facilitated by the Constitutional Court's (MK) decision on the minimum age for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, a decision made by Gibran's uncle, MK Chief Justice Anwar Usman.

(See also: Judges of the Constitutional Court Differ in Opinion on the Ruling Regarding the Minimum Age of Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates)

Despite the controversy, Gibran and Prabowo are pressing ahead with their candidacy for the 2024 presidential election. Both registered with the General Election Commission (KPU) on Wednesday (25/10/2023).

Burhanuddin believes Gibran will face negative consequences due to the lack of public trust in the Solo Mayor.

"If this (the issue of political dynasties) is continuously exploited, it could have a negative effect on Gibran," he said.

The Indikator survey involved 2,567 respondents aged 17 years and older or who are married. The sample was randomly selected using a multistage random sampling method from all provinces, proportionally distributed.

Data collection was conducted from October 16-20, 2023, through face-to-face interviews by trained interviewers. The survey has a margin of error of approximately 1.97% and a confidence level of 95%.

(See also: Prabowo-Gibran Most Chosen After MK Decision in LSI Survey)