NasDem Proposes 7 Percent Parliamentary Threshold in Election Bill

Central Executive Board Chairman of the NasDem Party, Muhammad Rifqinizamy Karsayuda, has explained the reason his party is proposing a parliamentary threshold of 7 percent for the Election Bill currently under discussion in Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI). Rifqinizamy stated that the parliamentary threshold needs to be readjusted because the Constitutional Court, through ruling Number 116/PUU-XXI/2023, declared the current 4 percent figure conditionally unconstitutional. The Court therefore instructed lawmakers to set the parliamentary threshold with proportional representation for the next election. “NasDem has conveyed its official stance. We will fight for a national parliamentary threshold of 7 percent, and we are also putting forward ideas so that the parliamentary threshold is applied at the provincial and regency/city levels as well,” Rifqi said at NasDem Tower, Jakarta, Monday, 13 July 2026. According to Rifqi, NasDem proposed the 7 percent figure because it wants to build political parties that grow strong and are not merely legal entities without popular support. “NasDem thinks that with a 7 percent threshold, the seat conversion would mean that in the council’s complementary bodies, we would have an average of at least 3 people in each commission. If we lower it, a commission could have only 1 or 2 people, which would disrupt the council’s work and the function of representation in the DPR,” Rifqi said. However, the Chairman of House Commission II said his party is still studying whether 7 percent can be implemented for legislative elections at the regional level, such as regencies or cities. Rifqi noted that the revision of the Election Law is included in the National Legislation Programme (Prolegnas). One of the most crucial points in the problem inventory list being discussed by Commission II is the parliamentary threshold. “What is the method for the parliamentary threshold? Is it solely based on valid national votes as it is now, or will a tiered parliamentary threshold also be applied at the provincial and regency/city levels? All options will be open in the upcoming discussion of the Election Law,” he stated. Previously, Rifqinizamy revealed that Commission II has compiled 28 problem inventory lists for the Election Bill, even though the working committee to deliberate the legislation has not yet been formed. He said the compilation of the list was a breakthrough to ensure preparations for the Election Law revision proceed while awaiting approval for the formation of the working committee from the DPR leadership. “Currently, we have 28 problem inventory lists,” Rifqinizamy said in a discussion titled ‘Prospects for Electoral Democracy 2029: A Review of the Election Law Revision’, quoted from the SMRC TV YouTube channel, Tuesday, 7 July 2026. Rifqi emphasised that the compilation of the list began by inviting experts, academics, non-governmental organisations, and civil society groups to Commission II from early 2026.