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DPR deputy speaker: Removal of parliamentary threshold may lead to legislative dysfunction

Source
Tempo - January 15, 2025

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, has expressed concerns that abolishing the parliamentary threshold could disrupt legislative functions. He argues that an excessive number of political parties in parliament would hinder the effectiveness of both the legislature and the executive branches.

"The legislative functions of the DPR, namely lawmaking, supervision, and budgetary control, require consolidation. So if there are too many parties, these functions are disrupted, and it also disrupts the government," Dasco said at the Parliament Building, Senayan on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Dasco's comments were in response to a statement by Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, that the Constitutional Court may abolish the parliamentary threshold. Currently, political parties must secure at least four percent of the national valid vote to gain parliamentary representation.

According to Dasco, many parties, particularly those failing to meet the threshold, would likely advocate for its elimination. "[It is understandable] that parties aspiring to parliamentary seats would propose it," he conceded.

Coordinating Minister Yusril previously indicated that the Constitutional Court's recent decision to abolish the presidential threshold could pave the way for the elimination of the parliamentary threshold.

"It is highly probable that the parliamentary threshold, which has long been a subject of contention among political parties, will also be abolished," he stated in Denpasar on Monday, January 13, 2025, as quoted by Antara.

Yusril assessed that the Constitutional Court's decision to invalidate the 20 percent presidential threshold would have implications for the parliamentary threshold. He also said this ruling offers a glimmer of hope for the development of a healthier democratic landscape in Indonesia.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1964169/dpr-deputy-speaker-removal-of-parliamentary-threshold-may-lead-to-legislative-dysfunctio

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