Jakarta. The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, registered Thursday 20,462 legislative candidates at the local and national levels with the General Election Commission (KPU) as it seeks to retain control of the House of Representatives and the presidential palace.

The candidates include 580 for the House, 2,372 for the provincial legislature, and 17,510 for the municipal/district legislature.

“The registration was conducted simultaneously at all levels across Indonesia,” PDI-P Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto told reporters at the KPU headquarters in Jakarta.

In addition to incumbent lawmakers, the list of candidates also includes prominent figures, former athletes, actors, and singers such as Rano Karno, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, Krisdayanti, Harvey Malaihollo, Nico Siahaan, Once Mekel, Marcell Siahaan, Taufik Hidayat Udjo, Denny Cagur, Tamara Geraldine, Sari Koeswoyo, Lita Zen, Andre Hehanussa, Lucky Perdana, and Roni Sianturi.

The PDI-P currently controls 21 percent of House seats, more than any other parties, and leads a pro-government coalition in the lower chamber of the national legislature to assert a supermajority that eases the president's jobs.

Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly also makes it to the PDI-P list. He was elected lawmaker in the last election but President Joko Widodo asked him to continue his role in the cabinet.

Yasonna is not the only cabinet member to run for the legislative election. 

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan has been nominated by his National Mandate Party (PAN) to represent the Central Java electorate. The National Awakening Party (PKB) will register Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah as a candidate for the legislative election.

Coming next to the KPU is the National Democratic Party or Nasdem, which aims to become the second-largest party in the House.

"Nasdem is aiming for 100 House seats to become the second best in the 2024 elections,” said Prananda, the son of party founder Surya Paloh.

Nasdem is the first party to formally announce a presidential candidate, naming former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan as its pick last October in the hope that he can expand the party’s support base early on. 

The Muslim-based Ummat Party also registered 580 House candidates in their election debut after barely qualifying for the election.

Candidate registration marks a significant development in the run-up to the 2024 general elections. The Social Justice Party, of PKS, is the first to register legislative candidates earlier on Monday, followed by the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) on Wednesday.

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