Politics · Indonesia · 11 hrs ago
Hidayat Nur Wahid Urges Separate Election Schedules in Indonesia
Hidayat Nur Wahid urged Indonesia's lawmakers and government to set separate dates for legislative, presidential and local elections.
The proposal comes as they prepare to revise the country's election law following a Constitutional Court ruling.
The ruling separates national elections from local elections, but Nur Wahid says the schedules should instead be separated by election type.
He points to elections held separately in 2004, 2009 and 2014 as a model.
Nur Wahid argues that holding several elections together can leave voters focused on the presidential race, giving legislative and local contests less attention.
Lawmakers and the government are set to discuss the revision, though the account does not say when they will decide.
Hidayat Nur Wahid urged Indonesia’s parliament and government to revise election law to separate schedules for legislative elections, presidential elections and regional elections.
He said the change should follow the constitution and end the “five-ballot” system of holding several elections together.
Nur Wahid argued that simultaneous elections have drawn voters’ attention mainly to presidential candidates, leaving legislative candidates with less attention.
He supports separate election schedules, as used in 2004, 2009 and 2014, rather than separating national and local elections as set out in a 2024 Constitutional Court ruling.
- Who
- Hidayat Nur Wahid, deputy speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly.
- What
- He urged parliament and the government to revise election law and separate the schedules for legislative, presidential and regional elections.
- When
- He made the statement on Saturday, 31 October 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- He said separate schedules would better follow the constitution and address problems caused by simultaneous elections, including insufficient voter attention to legislative elections.
Hidayat Nur Wahid
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court
Election schedules
Hidayat Nur Wahid
Nur Wahid supports separating the schedules for legislative, presidential and regional elections.
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court
The court’s 2024 ruling separates national elections from regional or local elections.
Addressing election problems
Hidayat Nur Wahid
Nur Wahid says the five-ballot system should end by separating election schedules.
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court
The court’s ruling separates national and local elections, which Nur Wahid says is not the right solution.
Legislative elections were held in February, before presidential elections in July, and regional elections were held separately.
Constitutional Court Decision No. 14/PUU-XI/2013 led to elections being held together under the five-ballot system.
Constitutional Court Decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024 separated national elections from regional or local elections.
Nur Wahid called for revised election law to separate the schedules for legislative, presidential and regional elections.
- Speaker
- Hidayat Nur Wahid
- Role
- Deputy speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly
- Proposed separation
- Legislative, presidential and regional election schedules
- Earlier examples
- Elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014
- Court decision cited
- No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024
- Statement date
- 31 October 2026
What people are saying
I support the proposal by some parliamentary factions to separate the schedules for legislative elections (DPR, DPRD, and DPD), presidential elections, and regional elections, as was previously implemented in the 2004, 2009, and 2014 elections.
The focus or concern of voters in the last two elections was only directed at the election of presidential and vice-presidential candidates.