Unrest Averted for Now as Indonesian Parliament Agrees to New Electoral Rules

Calm has returned to the streets of Jakarta after Indonesia’s parliament gave the country’s electoral regulator permission to issue new rules that comply with two Constitutional Court rulings. Parliament had tried to postpone ratifying changes to the election rules last week, causing protesters to attempt to tear down the gates of the legislature and widespread unrest across the country, which was met by police firing teargas and water cannons. The argument centres on the upcoming regional elections in November. The House of Representatives legislative body, called the Baleg, had drafted revisions to election rules that benefited President Joko Widodo and his allies, notably his youngest son Kaesang Pangarep, who would have been too young to run for the position of deputy governor of Central Java under the existing rules....