TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) will have to reconsider its plan to nominate Jusuf Kalla as a vice presidential candidate for Joko Widodo in the 2019 presidential election. The Constitutional Court's (MMK) spokesman Fajar Laksono said that presidents and vice presidents are not allowed to serve more than two terms as regulated in the 1945 Constitution.
Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution states that presidents and vice presidents hold office for a period five years, afterwhich they can run for just one more term. Fajar said the rule was the result of an amendment made to avoid arbitrariness that may harm the future of democracy.
Read also: Former KPU Commissioner: Jusuf Kalla Cannot be VP Anymore
"Legally, no one is allowed to become president or vice president for more than two terms," Fajar told Tempo yesterday.
According to the Constitutional Court's Decision No.22/PUU-VII/2009, an office term is counted as one after it has been served for half of the period, or after 2.5 years. The rule applies to those who hold the positions consecutively or with a break between terms.
Debates over the two-period term surfaced after PDI-P said they are reviewing the possibilities of bringing back the Jokowi-Kalla pair in the next presidential campaign.
The man in question, Jusuf Kalla, has served as vice president twice—once under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and now under Joko Widodo. Kalla has several times rejected PDIP offer to run again, citing age reasons as well as the law.
VINDRY FLORENTIN | ARKHELAUS WISNU | RIANI SANUSI | MAYA AYU PUSPITASARI
