JakartaPost-Apr 25, 2024
Dynastic politics and incumbents are blamed as two key reasons young politicians have struggled to gain seats in the House of Representatives, according to a recent study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The number of young lawmakers elected to the House of Representatives hit an all-time low in the 2024 legislative election, a recent study has found, with an increasing number of incumbents and political dynasties blamed among factors barring youths from gaining seats in the legislative body. The study, conducted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and publicly launched on Wednesday, found 87 lawmakers under the age of 40, making up only 15 percent of all elected legislative candidates in the 2024 election. The figure was 1 percent lower than in the 2019 election and the lowest in the country’s history. Overall, the average age of elected legislative candidates this year is 52 years old. The researchers also looked at candidates with the most votes from each party in every election district. The KPU’s final result on the number of seats obtained by each party at the House will not be released until the Constitutional Court settles all legislative election dispute petitions, with the process slated to run until June. The low number of elected young politicians comes in an election that saw younger generations, comprising millennials and Gen-Zers, make up more than half of registered voters. Arya of CSIS suggested political parties and elites should show more political will to provide an equal chance for young politicians as well as support them to win the election. Separately, the number of women lawmakers elected to the House increased in this year’s election, reaching its highest percentage of nearly 22 percent with 127 people, according to the CSIS study. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/04/25/house-of-old-men-2024-election-sees-lowest-number-of-young-lawmakers.html.
