Semarang, April 17, 2025 — In a commitment to strengthening the quality of local democracy, the Election and Democracy Syndicate (SPD) in collaboration with the General Election Commission (KPU) of Central Java Province held a discussion and book review event titled “Evaluation of Candidacy in the 2024 Central Java Regional Elections” at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang.

The event also marked a significant milestone with the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between SPD and FISIP Undip, paving the way for more intensive collaboration in research, publications, and political education in the future.

In her opening remarks, the Vice Dean for Resources of FISIP Undip, Ika Riswanti Putranti, SH, MH, Ph.D., emphasized that this discussion was more than just an academic forum. “This book review is not merely an intellectual forum but a tangible manifestation of the spirit of fastabiqul khoirot—competing in goodness—and a form of knowledge endowment (wakaf ilmu) that, God willing, will become a continuous charity, benefiting democracy, the nation, and future generations,” she said.

The discussion, moderated by Lusia Astrika, S.IP., M.Si., a lecturer from the Department of Politics and Government Studies (DPIP) at FISIP Undip, featured credible and insightful speakers:

• • Sos., Dra. Fitriyah, M.S. highlighted the challenges faced by independent candidates since the 2007 regional elections, which remain hindered by stringent administrative requirements. She also emphasized that the dominance of political parties and the obligation to obtain recommendations from central party boards have made the candidacy process elitist. The decline in the number of candidates and the prevalence of single-candidate races indicate weakened electoral competition and limited voter choice. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court’s Decision No. 60/2024 was deemed insignificant due to its timing, being too close to the candidacy schedule.
  • Muhammad Machruz, Commissioner of the Central Java KPU, discussed regulatory and technical challenges in the candidacy process that require reinforcement from various stakeholders.
  • Erik Kurniawan, Executive Director of SPD, addressed the symptoms of electoral autocracy and “autocratic repetition” in the 2024 regional elections. He revealed that while dynamics at the district/city level in Central Java were more varied, disparities in competition were still evident. He stressed the importance of countering elite democracy dominance, modernizing political parties, innovating candidate systems, and optimizing the role of civil society.

The book, the focal point of the event, was presented by its author, Aqidatul Izza Zain, S.Sos., M.I.P., who elaborated on its contents, ranging from the dynamics of the Central Java gubernatorial candidacy to the implications of the Constitutional Court’s decision and the phenomenon of single candidates. She also shared intriguing findings, such as the weakening of electoral competition, the pragmatic configuration of party coalitions, and the correlation between the number of candidate pairs and voter turnout.

The event was attended by various stakeholders, including the Head of the Department of Politics and Government Studies at FISIP Undip, Dr. Drs. Nur Hidayat Sardini, S.Sos, SH, M.Si., faculty members and administrative staff of FISIP, students from various study programs, as well as academics and democracy activists.

The discussion concluded with an interactive Q&A session between students and speakers, enriching perspectives on the direction of local political reform. Additionally, copies of the book “Evaluation of Candidacy in the 2024 Central Java Regional Elections” will be donated to the FISIP Undip Library, serving as reflective and critical reading material for students to understand the challenges of electoral democracy in Indonesia.

Contributor: Wulan Safitri
Translator: Nur Inayah