PAN Views Proposal to Limit Party Leaders' Terms as Violation of Freedom of Association

Jakarta - Deputy Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Viva Yoga, stated that limiting the tenure of political party leaders could be seen as a violation of the freedom of association. He made this remark in response to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)‘s proposal to restrict party leaders’ terms to just two periods. “If there is a proposal to limit the tenure of the party chairman, it will certainly raise concerns that this could be regarded as a violation of the freedom of association (Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution). Parties can argue that they are private-political organisations entitled to determine their own leadership,” Viva told reporters on Friday (24/4/2026). Viva explained that under Law No. 2 of 2011 on Political Parties, the state does not regulate in detail the periodisation of party chairmen’s terms. “Political parties are civil society organisations given a public role, distinct from state institutions that hold the power to manage the state,” he said. According to Viva, political parties are civil society organisations founded by a group of citizens with the same worldview and interests, sharing the same fate and aspirations, and pursuing common goals. As such, the Political Parties Law grants full authority to parties to manage their internal affairs independently. “If there are concerns that the life of political parties might breed oligarchy, stifle cadre development, become authoritarian, and lead to potential internal conflicts, the public is not politically naive. They will certainly not vote for that party in the next election because the party will lose its legitimacy from the people,” Viva stressed. In promoting improved democracy in Indonesia, parties must maximise their primary functions of recruiting and educating political cadres, articulating and aggregating public interests, and ensuring the growth of national and regional leadership. “The matter of who becomes the chairman of a political party is the collective will within the political party itself. There must be no intervention from any party or individual outside the political party,” he added.