Jakarta. The office of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo hailed Thursday’s nationwide protests as a powerful display of democratic rights, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of expression.

Presidential spokesman Hasan Nasbi said the demonstrations against the proposed changes to the local election law reaffirmed Indonesia’s adherence to democratic values.

“Today, we’ve witnessed democracy in action, not just in Jakarta but across many parts of Indonesia,” Hasan said during a briefing at the presidential palace.

The protests, led largely by university students, accused political parties of attempting to manipulate the law to make President Jokowi's son, Kaesang Pangarep, eligible to run in the gubernatorial election.

Earlier in the week, the Constitutional Court upheld the current law, which requires gubernatorial, mayoral, and regency candidates to be at least 30 years old by the time they are officially approved by the General Election Commission (KPU) on September 22. Kaesang, who will turn 30 in December, is disqualified under this rule.

In contrast, a recent Supreme Court ruling suggested that the candidate’s age should be measured by the date the elected official takes office next year, making Kaesang eligible. However, under Indonesia's legal system, the Constitutional Court’s decision has final authority in electoral matters, overriding the Supreme Court's interpretation.

Rallies erupted amid reports that lawmakers loyal to both President Jokowi and President-Elect Prabowo Subianto were planning to meet at the House of Representatives on Thursday to challenge the court’s decision. Following mounting pressure, a House plenary session ultimately removed the controversial amendment from its agenda after hundreds of students breached the legislature’s compound.

“We’ve seen the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court fulfill their judicial duties, the House playing its legislative role, and the public, including students, acting as agents of democracy. This is extraordinary,” Hasan said.

He assured that the president will respect the decisions made by the courts and the House.

“The House has officially announced that the bill concerning local elections has been dropped. The government will follow the laws as they stand,” Hasan said.

He also called for maintaining public order and avoiding disinformation.

“Our democracy must be upheld responsibly. We need to stop the spread of misinformation, slander, and hate, as they only bring harm to us all.”

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