Perludem Criticizes 5% Parliamentary Threshold Proposal, Citing Wasted Votes

Indonesian election watchdog Perludem has expressed strong concern over the proposal to raise the Parliamentary Threshold for political parties to gain seats in legislative elections from the current 4% to 5%. Perludem points out that if this proposal is implemented, more voters' ballots will be wasted. This is because raising the Parliamentary Threshold will make it even more difficult for smaller parties to enter parliament, consequently making it harder for the will of voters who voted for specific parties to be reflected in national politics. The organization warns that raising the Parliamentary Threshold increases the risk of voters being alienated from the political process and could shake the foundations of democracy. They hold the view that narrowing the opportunities for diverse voter opinions to reach parliament is detrimental to the maturity of Indonesian democracy.