Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is one of few names the National Democratic Party, or Nasdem, considers nominating for the 2024 presidential elections, a party executive said on Thursday.

The party is slated to hold an internal convention next month during which Chairman Surya Paloh will pick one of three nominees proposed by Nasdem's regional chapters.

"As far as I'm concerned, the particular name widely mentioned inside Nasdem as a favored candidate is Anies Baswedan," Teuku Taufiqulhadi, chairman of the Aceh chapter, told reporters in Jakarta.

Anies won support from at least four regional chapters, including Aceh, Jakarta, Banten, and West Java, he added.

"There will be one candidate from the proposed three names, but it's also possible that we pick two names for the presidential candidate and a running mate," Teuku said.

But Nasdem alone cannot nominate a candidate due to the existing presidential threshold. A party or a coalition of parties must have at least 20 percent of seats in the 575-member House of Representatives.

Nasdem currently has 10.26 percent of House seats, meaning that it must establish a coalition with one or two other parties and find a common ground between their candidates.

The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) is the only party capable of nominating a candidate without needing a coalition.

Recent polls by various research agencies indicate that Anies remains behind two leading candidates: Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is also the chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

Unlike both men, Anies has no direct link with any political party.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/anies-baswedan-among-nasdems-potential-nominees-for-presiden