Golkar Proposes Raising Parliamentary Threshold to 5% in Election Bill
The Golkar Party faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) has proposed changing the parliamentary threshold to 5 per cent, up from the current 4 per cent under the prevailing Election Law.
However, this figure would be combined with faction grouping.
“I think 5 per cent provides enough room for political parties to compete, but it will later be combined in the MD3 Law by adding a factional threshold,” said Fraksi Chairman and Golkar Party General Secretary Muhamad Sarmuji when contacted on Wednesday (22/4).
Faction grouping proposal
He claimed that his side proposed faction grouping in the revision of the Election Law, which is included in the DPR’s priority legislative agenda for 2026.
Sarmuji explained that the faction grouping would be intended for parties that cannot meet twice the number of council completeness instruments (AKD).
“Faction grouping if there are parties that pass parliament but do not meet twice the council completeness instruments,” said Sarmuji.
Currently, the number of AKD in the DPR is 20, consisting of 13 commissions and seven bodies. This means each faction must have at least 40 seats so that every two members can serve in each of those AKD.
According to Sarmuji, the proposed grouping is intended so that every faction with fewer than 40 seats can be merged with another party’s faction. He assessed that this is necessary to make parliamentary decision-making more effective.
“Ideally, the factional threshold is twice the number of completeness instruments so that DPR members do not hold multiple positions,” he said.
Previously, Deputy Speaker of the DPR, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, hoped that changes to the parliamentary threshold would not burden parties.
However, he said the discussion of the Election Bill is still in the simulation and internal faction study stage in the DPR. His side admitted they do not want to rush so that the decision results are not challenged again in the Constitutional Court (MK).
“We’re not in a hurry; don’t let us rush or hurry the Election Law, then there will be more lawsuits,” said Dasco, who is also the Daily Chairman of the Gerindra Party, yesterday.
10 issues for Election Bill changes
Previously, a member of Commission II of the DPR, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, revealed there are 10 issues for changes in the Election Bill, some of which are mandates from Constitutional Court (MK) decisions.
He outlined that the 10 points of change are, first, the legislative election system. The Election Bill will reopen discussions on changing the election system, whether it remains an open proportional system, closed, or even a mixture.
Second, discussions on changing the parliamentary threshold. Third, discussions on changing the presidential threshold, both based on MK decisions. Until now, said Doli, several factions are not yet in agreement on changing the parliamentary threshold, although for the presidential threshold, the MK has requested its abolition.
Fourth, discussions on changing the number of seats per electoral district (dapil). Fifth, the seat conversion system from votes in the DPR. Sixth, the issue of separating local and national elections referring to Decision Number 135/PUU-XXII/2024. Seventh, discussions on improving the system to curb money politics practices up to vote buying.
Eighth, digitalisation in every stage of the election. Ninth, discussions on changing the election organising institution, which, according to Doli, has long been criticised for its professionalism and integrity.
And finally, regarding the resolution of election disputes. For a long time, he has been pushing for the establishment of a special judicial body for election dispute resolution.
“Well, those are some or 10 issues, 5 contemporary and 5 classic ones that we will definitely discuss in the election law deliberation,” said Doli.