Getty ImagesThousands of Indonesians have gathered to protest against the government’s attempt to overturn a constitutional court ruling that paves the way for elections for rivals from smaller parties.
Protesters gathered outside parliament in the capital Jakarta, as well as other major cities such as Padang, Bandung and Yogyakarta.
On Wednesday, Indonesia’s top court ruled that parties do not need to have a minimum 20% representation in regional councils to be able to field candidates.
However, within 24 hours, parliament submitted an emergency motion to reverse the changes – a move that has sparked widespread condemnation and fears of a constitutional crisis.
The fast-passed bill, which overturns parts of the court ruling, is expected to pass late Thursday.
It would maintain the status quo, which benefits parties in the ruling coalition of outgoing president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his successor, Prabowo Subianto. As a result, many local elections are expected to be uncontested events.
The parliamentary decision also means a prominent government critic, Anies Baswedan, will also be barred from running for the influential post of Jakarta governor.
The Indonesian government is also trying to find a way around a constitutional court decision to maintain the current minimum age limit of 30 for candidates, which would bar Mr Widodo’s 29-year-old son, Kaesang Pangarep, from running in the regional contest in Central Java.
Mr Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is the new vice president running against Mr Prabowo.
Anindita Pradana/BBC IndonesiaObservers say the power struggle between Indonesia’s parliament – dominated by Widodo’s supporters – and the country’s constitutional court could lead to a political crisis.
But Mr Widodo has downplayed the dispute, saying the amendments were part of the government’s “checks and balances”.
One of the protesters, Joko Anwar, said the country’s leaders appeared intent on maintaining their power.
“In the end, we will become a powerless mass of objects, even though we are the ones who gave them power,” he said.
“We have to take to the streets. We have no other choice,” he said.
On social media, blue posters with the words “Emergency Alert” above Indonesia’s national eagle symbol have been widely shared.
The parliament’s move to overturn the court ruling is unconstitutional, according to Titi Anggraini, an election analyst at the University of Indonesia.
“This is an act of constitutional robbery,” she told BBC Indonesia.
