Jokowi's Response on Electoral Law Material Testing at Constitutional Court
Former President Joko Widodo has commented on a constitutional challenge to the Electoral Law filed with the Constitutional Court. The petition was submitted by two advocates, Raden Nuh and Dian Amalia.
Request for Ban on Incumbent Family Candidacy
In their petition, the two advocates requested that the Constitutional Court add provisions prohibiting the president and vice president’s families from running for president or vice president whilst still in office.
Specifically, they requested that both blood relatives and in-laws of the sitting president or vice president be explicitly barred from running as presidential or vice-presidential candidates. The petitioners contend that current regulations still create potential for conflicts of interest and abuse of power. They argue that without strict limitations, the incumbent president’s close relatives could participate in elections whilst the president remains in office, risking dynastic political practices.
Jokowi’s Response: Respect Constitutional Process
In response, Jokowi emphasised that every citizen possesses equal standing before the constitution. He stated that material testing is part of a democratic mechanism guaranteed by the constitution.
“Every individual, every citizen has the same constitutional standing. Therefore, anyone can file a material challenge to the Constitutional Court regarding anything related to legislation,” Jokowi said when met by journalists at his residence in Sumber, Banjarsari District, Solo, Central Java, on Thursday, 27 February 2026.
Jokowi did not comment further on the substance of the petition. He asked the public to await the Constitutional Court’s proceedings and leave the decision entirely to the court to determine objectively and independently.
“Let’s just await the Constitutional Court’s process. The Constitutional Court’s decision is what we must respect,” he said.
Case Registered at Constitutional Court
According to the Constitutional Court’s official website, the petition by Raden Nuh and Dian Amalia was registered under case number 81/PUU-XXXIV/2026 on Tuesday, 24 February 2026.
The contested provision is Article 169 of Law Number 7 of 2017 on General Elections. This article establishes various requirements for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, including Indonesian citizenship, no history of betraying the nation, no convictions with certain penalties, and fulfilment of various other administrative and substantive requirements.
In their petition, the applicants contend that Article 169 does not explicitly regulate restrictions on the immediate family of the sitting president. Accordingly, they requested that the Constitutional Court interpret or add new provisions to strengthen principles of justice and prevent dynastic political practices in Indonesia’s presidential elections.