PKS Legislator: Constitutional Challenge to Bar President's Family from Presidential Race Aligns with Anti-Corruption Spirit
Jakarta — A member of the House of Representatives Commission II from the PKS faction, Mardani Ali Sera, regards a constitutional challenge to the Electoral Law seeking to ban the president and vice president’s family members from running for president as a well-intentioned initiative.
According to him, the petition embodies the same spirit as the anti-corruption, anti-collusion, and anti-nepotism (KKN) movement of 1998. “The spirit of the petition is sound. It is similar to our fight against KKN in 1998. Indonesia is too vast to be controlled by a single family,” Mardani said when contacted on Thursday (27 February 2026).
Mardani considers such restrictions important, particularly if the family member concerned is still serving as president or vice president at the time of candidacy. He also believes the proposal is relevant not only for presidential elections but could also be applied in regional elections.
“Especially whilst the person in question is still in office. It is good not only for the presidential election but also for regional elections,” Mardani stated.
Nevertheless, Mardani acknowledged that the current Electoral Law provisions remain relevant. However, he conceded that the potential for dynastic politics remains an open possibility. “The provisions in the Electoral Law are still relevant. But the opportunity for dynastic politics does indeed exist,” he concluded.
Earlier, two advocates, Raden Nuh and Dian Amalia, filed a constitutional review petition against Article 169 of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections with the Constitutional Court. The petition is registered with case number 81/PUU-XXIV/2026.
In their petition, the applicants request that the Constitutional Court prohibit blood relatives and in-laws of the sitting president or vice president from running as presidential or vice-presidential candidates. They argue that such circumstances can undermine the principles of a democratic rule of law and diminish citizens’ rights to fair and integrity-based elections.
In their petition, the applicants request the Constitutional Court to declare Article 169 of the Electoral Law contradictory to the 1945 Constitution insofar as it is not interpreted to mean that presidential and vice-presidential candidacies must be free from conflicts of interest arising from family relationships with the sitting president or vice president.