PKS on Lawsuit Banning Family Members of President and Vice President from Running in Presidential Election: The Spirit is Good

PKS party official Mardani Ali Sera responded to a lawsuit requesting the Constitutional Court (MK) to prohibit family members of the President or Vice President from running as candidates for President or Vice President. He agreed with the lawsuit.

“The spirit is good. It’s similar to our fight against corruption, collusion, and nepotism in 1998. Indonesia is too vast to be controlled by a single family, especially when the person in question is still in office,” said PKS party official Mardani Ali Sera to reporters on Thursday (February 26, 2026).

According to him, this prohibition is not only good for the Presidential election but also for regional elections. He then pointed out that the Election Law still provides loopholes for political dynasties.

“The rules in the Election Law are still relevant. But the opportunity for political dynasties does exist,” explained Mardani.

Previously, citizens named Raden Nuh and Dian Amalia filed a lawsuit against the Election Law with the Constitutional Court (MK). They requested the MK to prohibit family members (by blood or marriage) of the President or Vice President from running as candidates for President and/or Vice President.

As seen on the official MK website on Wednesday (February 25, 2026), the lawsuit was registered with case number 81/PUU-XXIV/2026. The two are suing Article 169 of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections.

The petitioners request the MK to:

• declare Article 169 of the Election Law as conflicting with the 1945 Constitution and not having binding legal force, unless it is interpreted that the requirements for presidential and/or vice-presidential candidates must be free from conflicts of interest arising from family relations (by blood or marriage) with the President and/or Vice President who is currently in office during the same term of office.