PKR Leader Rejects Proposal to Raise Parliamentary Threshold: This Kills Citizens' Rights

The renewed proposal to raise the parliamentary threshold amid discussions on the national election system has drawn sharp criticism.

General Chairman of the People’s Sovereignty Party (PKR), Tuntas Subagyo, considers the proposal highly dangerous and a threat to the essence of democracy in Indonesia.

According to Tuntas, the pretext that raising the threshold would simplify the number of political parties and create a stable government may seem logical at first glance. However, he warns of the great danger behind the idea.

“However, upon closer examination, the proposal actually has the potential to kill the basic rights of citizens in democracy: the right to choose and be represented,” Tuntas stated firmly in his remarks on Monday, 27 April 2026.

Tuntas explained that raising the national vote acquisition threshold would put more parties at risk of failing to enter the House of Representatives. The consequence would be that votes cast by the people in the polling booth would be wasted in vain.

“Millions of voters who have legitimately exercised their voting rights could lose representation simply because their chosen party does not pass the threshold,” he said.

Furthermore, he reminded that in a democratic country, every vote must have equal value. It is unjust if votes for large parties are considered more important than those for small parties.

“When votes for a certain party are erased from seat conversion, the state is creating political inequality,” he stated.

He added that this contradicts the spirit of people’s sovereignty because citizens who have followed the rules and voted legitimately at polling stations are deemed irrelevant.

In addition to harming voters, raising the parliamentary threshold is seen as narrowing the space for democracy. The political stage is feared to be dominated only by established parties with strong financial and network resources.

Yet, Indonesia as a pluralistic nation greatly needs broad political representation to accommodate various regional aspirations and those of the younger generation.

Tuntas also refuted arguments from supporters of raising the threshold, who often blame the multitude of parties for ineffective governance.

“The problem with government does not lie in the number of parties, but in the weak commitment of coalitions, low quality of cadres, and transactional political culture,” he concluded.