emocracy cannot function properly without a credible opposition, and the last decade has offered a clear example of what happens when a presidential administration remains largely unchecked by forces outside the ruling group. In President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s first term, from 2014 to 2019, he had the support of a coalition that held just over 60 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives. With this majority, his still faced some stumbling blocks to implementing his campaign pledges, impediments that were all but eliminated when he expanded his ruling coalition in the beginning of his second term, allowing him to advance signature policy aims such as infrastructure development and commodities downstreaming.
With an unassailable 80 percent of the House – the largest political coalition the country has ever seen – there was the temptation to overreach. Whether you're looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments, "Viewpoint" is the perfect source for anyone seeking to engage with the issues that matter most. By registering, you agree with 's Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.
And overreach the coalition did. In the past five years, numerous policies, plans and proposals have been rammed through the House with scant consultation or public scrutiny. For a number of key pieces of legislation, from the Job Creation Law to revisions to the nation’s electoral and corruption laws, the legislature supplied lit.
