Regarding 5% Parliamentary Threshold, Bahlil: That is Ideal, It Suits

The General Chairman of the Golkar Party, Bahlim Lahadalia, believes that the ideal parliamentary threshold for parties to enter parliament is five per cent.

In recent days, discussions regarding the Election Bill (RUU Pemilu) have commenced in the House of Representatives (DPR), although the Deputy Speaker of the DPR, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, noted that the deliberations are still in the early stages.

“Regarding the parliamentary threshold, in our communications across various parties, some desire 6 per cent, some 7 per cent, some 5 per cent, and some even lower; however, as an ideal figure, 5 per cent is suitable,” Bahlil told reporters at the Indonesian Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, 17 September 2026.

Nevertheless, Bahlil did not further elaborate on his party’s specific stance regarding the choice of a five per cent parliamentary threshold.

Bahlil also declined to answer questions regarding meetings between the chairmen of political parties within the government coalition concerning the discussion of the parliamentary threshold.

So far, Golkar is not the only party suggesting that five per cent is ideal; several political parties currently holding seats in the DPR have also proposed the five per cent figure for inclusion in the Election Bill. Parties that have openly stated the five per cent figure include Gerindra, PDI Perjuangan, PKS, and Golkar.

The General Secretary of the Gerindra Party, Sugiono, when questioned by reporters at the MPR/DPR/DPD RI Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, stated that his party agrees with a five per cent parliamentary threshold in the discussions regarding the new Election Bill.

Sugiono also mentioned that the five per cent figure was discussed during a meeting of chairmen of political parties in the government coalition, which took place while he was accompanying President Prabowo Subianto on a visit to New Delhi, India, last week.

Furthermore, PDI Perjuangan, as stated by the Chairman of the Honour Committee of the PDI Perjuangan, Komarudin Watubun, considers the five per cent threshold proposal to be ideal.

“The five per cent figure is ideal. There will certainly be considerations regarding the effective efficiency of governance. Therefore, the more political parties are simplified, the easier it becomes to consolidate power,” Komarudin told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.