Jakarta. Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is set to visit the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) headquarters in Jakarta this Saturday, sparking speculation that the party may endorse him for the 2024 Jakarta gubernatorial race.

Recent constitutional court rulings have lowered the parliamentary threshold for regional candidates, allowing PDI-P, which was previously hindered by the threshold, to nominate its own gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates in Jakarta. This development has fueled discussions about a potential alliance between Anies Baswedan and PDI-P.

Sahrin Hamid, Anies’ spokesperson, said the meeting will focus on programs for the underprivileged, spatial planning, and environmental sustainability, without delving into political details. “Mr. Anies will discuss programs for the underprivileged and other substantive themes,” Sahrin said.

There is speculation that Anies might run alongside PDI-P cadre Hendra Prihadi. However, PDI-P has stipulated that Anies must join the party and adhere to its political agenda.

Previously, regional election laws required parties to meet a minimum threshold of 20 percent of seats or 25 percent of votes to nominate candidates. The recent court ruling allows all parties to propose candidates if they meet a 6.5 percent to 10 percent vote threshold, depending on the region's voter list.

This change could benefit Anies, who is seeking an unlikely alliance from PDI-P, the only major party yet to announce a candidate for the Jakarta gubernatorial race. In the 2017 election, Anies, with the help of Prabowo Subianto's Gerindra Party, defeated PDI-P’s candidate, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), in a contentious race that led to Ahok's imprisonment for blasphemy.

PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri indicated that Anies’ potential candidacy hinges on his alignment with the party’s values. During a recent meeting, she questioned whether PDI-P should support Anies if he remains outside the party.

“If Anies wants PDI-P’s support, he needs to align with the party,” Megawati emphasized.

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