Opposition Parties as Checks and Balances for the Government After the 2024 Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections

Opposition parties are the political parties in Indonesia that are not part of the governing coalition following the presidential and vice-presidential elections. Typically, this term is applied to parties that did not succeed in these elections, although there are instances where unsuccessful parties subsequently join the winning coalition. Opposition parties play a crucial role in the system of checks and balances, serving as overseers to ensure that government programs are implemented effectively. In 2024, the parties supporting the elected presidential and vice-presidential pair, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, comprised nine political parties. The role of the opposition is particularly evident in policy discussions within the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI), where they possess the right to participate in legislative processes and oversight. However, not all opposition parties are represented in the DPR as they fail to meet the parliamentary threshold (PT) of 4%. This situation results in a scenario where the number of supporting parties exceeds that of the opposition. To ensure effective checks and balances, it is ideal for opposition parties to have a minimum representation of 50% in the DPR. Moreover, there exists a perception that opposition parties often seek to engage in political vendettas against the victorious government.