TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Democrat Party Convention Committee secretary Suaidi Marasabessy said his party would announce the decision regarding its coalition on May 19, 2014, or a day before the closing date for the registration of presidential and vice presidential candidates at the General Election Commission (KPU). “We will use this opportunity to decide on our political stance,” Suaidi told Tempo on Tuesday.
According to Suaidi, the announcement would be about which parties the Democrat chose to have a coalition with, the coalition axis formation, and its presidential and vice presidential candidates. He added the party was still mulling over the direction of the coalition and would organize a convention debate on April 27 at Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel, Jakarta.
Suaidi was upbeat that, given the current political situation, the Democrat still had a chance to nominate its own presidential candidate—which was the reason why the party decided to proceed with its presidential primary. “The coalition situation is still dynamic. So, we have to be able to take advantage of it,” said Suaidi.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), meanwhile, has said they sought to form a slim coalition in the presidential elections. The Golkar Party and the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra), both gained total votes of more than 10 percent, have yet to decide on their coalition partners.
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