JAKARTA (ANN/THE JAKARTA POST) – Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo officially declared February 14 as a national holiday to allow for citizens to vote in the upcoming general election.
This decision was formalised through a newly enacted presidential regulation signed on Tuesday, in accordance with Article 167 of the 2023 Elections Law, which mandates the observance of voting day as a national holiday.
Previously, the Labour Ministry had issued a directive allowing workers to take leave on Election Day, with provisions for overtime compensation by employers should they opt to work on February 14.
Indonesia will hold simultaneous presidential and legislative elections on February 14.
There are roughly 205 million registered voters and turnout in past elections has been about 75 percent, according to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
Political parties need four per cent of the vote to qualify for the House of Representatives.
A presidential candidate needs more than 50 per cent of the votes cast overall and at least 20 per cent of the vote in more than half the country’s provinces to win.
If no one manages that, a runoff presidential election will be held in June between the two candidates with the most votes. The next president will take office in October.
