Candidate Ganjar Branwo presents himself as close to the youth in his dress and appearance (Al Jazeera)

Jakarta -

In a country where the youth element dominates, such as Indonesia, the election campaigns, which are taking place on February 14, almost revolve around this group in order to attract and convince them to vote for this or that candidate, and the candidates use all means that reach the youth and in methods that appeal to them.

According to the Election Commission, Indonesia's population is 273 million people, and about 205 million are entitled to vote, of whom young people constitute 56% of the electorate.

The Commission defines the youth category as that which combines the “Millennials” generation (31-40 years old), who constitute 33.3% of voters, and “Generation Z” (17-30 years old), about 24.1%.

In a country where these two generations make up more than half of the electorate, the ages of the candidates range; Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and former provincial governors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, between the ages of 54 and 72, with the exception of the only youth element, Gibrin Rakabuming Raka (35 years old), who is running for vice president with Prabowo Subianto, who is the son of current President Jokowi.

From the Candidate Ganjar Prano Festival, it presents what appeals to young people in terms of dancing and singing (Al Jazeera)

Active social communication

Digital research company Publix revealed that Generation Z voters place high hopes on candidates’ speeches, while millennials tend to think more realistically and are skeptical about election campaign speeches.

Publix said in a study it prepared from August 31 to September 12, 2023, on the elections that the majority of Indonesian youth (13-24 years old) rely on social media as a main source of electoral information.

That is why the three presidential candidates, as well as the parliamentary candidates, focus on reaching this group and addressing it by the means and method that appeals to them. Each of them actively participates in large-scale campaigns on TikTok and Instagram to influence the votes of this generation.

Digital Indonesia Foundation statistics for 2023 show that 167 million citizens are active on social media platforms, out of 212 million Internet users at the beginning of the same year.

In detail, there are 184 million users of Instagram and 178 million Indonesians on Facebook, while TikTok has 126 million users, but it is constantly rising.

For example, after the first vice presidential debate last month, clips from the broadcast were viewed 300 million times within 12 hours on TikTok.

After the second presidential debate this month, white-haired presidential candidate Brannwo appeared live on TikTok wearing a green military jacket, imitating Tom Cruise in his movie (Top Gun).

Videos of 72-year-old candidate Subianto dancing have also flooded Indonesia's social media accounts, transforming his image from a retired general who was dogged by charges of human rights abuses in the late 1990s to a "cute grandfather" as young people like to call him.

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According to Publix, leadership qualities, a clear vision, and agreeableness are among the preferred characteristics of young voters in Indonesia. This makes social media campaigns especially crucial in this election race.

Regarding specific policies, 83% of survey participants call on the government to create more job opportunities, about 76% hope to improve educational opportunities to help achieve job security, and 72% call for more effective policies to prevent corruption in the government.

While many young people express their concern about the Indonesian national identity under the influence of the culture of the West, China, and recently Korea, which has caused its erosion in some aspects.

Cautious optimism

Al Jazeera Net polled the opinions of Indonesian youth about their vision of the electoral programs and their realism, and what they demand from the next president-elect.

Iman Abdul Rahman (23 years old), a student at the State Islamic University, hopes that the president-elect will be honest in carrying out his responsibilities, “and not put his personal interests ahead of the interests of the nation to secure a better future for ethnically and religiously diverse Indonesia, and that he will be able to eliminate favoritism, bribery and corruption.” Which the country has been suffering from for decades.

As for Azam Zindan Noor (24 years old), a student at the Asian University in Malaysia, who returned to participate in the elections, he said, “We are exercising our right to vote for the first time, and we hope that the next president will rebuild democratic life in the country properly.”

Nour explains by saying, "This can be achieved by restoring the citizen's dignity, as he is the basis of democratic life, not financial and political influence, and combating the violation of the citizen's freedoms to express his opinion and criticize the government, because that kills democratic life. And to be able to improve the economic, educational, and health conditions of citizens, so that we walk together toward Indonesia's golden time in 2045.

While Firas Anwar Maulana (24 years old), who works as a teacher in a private school, is optimistic that the presidential candidates have the ability to fulfill the positive promises they made in the election campaigns.

Regarding what he asks of the next president, he says, “We hope to pay attention to the poor class, which is broad in society, to ensure stability in fuel prices, to reduce unemployment rates, and to focus on the younger generation and their participation in decision-making in an appropriate manner.”

This is what Hirana Nugraha (22 years old), a teacher in a private school, also called for involving the younger generation, especially since some candidates count on this generation. “As young people, we have aspirations for our country to be stable and secure. Our country matters to us just as it matters to the government.” And state institutions, and we have the right to participate in the appropriate manner in the development of our country alongside the government.”

Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates Anies Baswedan (left) and Muhaymin Iskandar during an election campaign in Jakarta (Anatolia)

Youthful living anxiety

Indonesian youth are experiencing great pressure and anxiety to secure the requirements for a decent life in light of the high prices and the declining value of the rupiah.

With the beginning of the era of the new democratic regime in 1998, the poverty line per capita per month was around 42,000 rupees (about 4.5 dollars), but today, according to the 2023 census, the poverty line per capita per month has risen to 550,458 rupees (about 35 dollars). This constitutes a burden on young people who begin their working lives in light of the decline in job opportunities and income.

Aisha Putri Budiarthi, a researcher at the National Research Agency, believes that “youth have an influential and significant role in the elections, so candidates focus on addressing them, and this is clearer in these elections than in the previous ones, as they constitute more than half of the voting bloc.”

She said in her interview with Al Jazeera Net, "Of course, young people are affected by the candidates' electoral campaign strategy, and the most influential arenas and means in this sector are social media platforms, in which the youth sector is active. Therefore, the successful candidate is the one who can reach young people and convince them of his program, especially what relates to them and their future." “They are more aware than the older generations.”

Regarding the issues that concern young people in election campaigns, Budhyarti says, “According to several recent studies from opinion polling centers, what concerns young people most is the availability of job opportunities. They are at the productive age or are about to do so, like university students, and then they are concerned with the economic programs of the candidates to ensure a stable future.” For their current or future families, then comes the importance of health insurance and health services in the country.”

Figures of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and vice-presidential candidate Gibrin Rakabuming Raka during an election event (French)

Superficial culture

As for the researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Muhammad Saleh, he says, “I am not sure that young people will have an important role in determining the course of these elections, even though more than half of the voters are from this category, because the majority of them are not politically educated, and they have little political awareness.” It comes from social media platforms, and these do not provide a real political culture as much as they are entertainment.”

Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Saleh confirms that considering the nomination of Gibran, President Jokowi's son, as Vice President, as a victory for the youth is incorrect because he was not chosen because he is a young man (35 years old), but rather because he is the president's son, and this does not indicate interest in the youth component.

Regarding the factors that influence young people’s choices when voting, Saleh says, according to studies conducted by polling centers that examined this matter, 37% of them are influenced by those around them and their convictions, and 32% are influenced by the candidate’s digital footprint or his presence and activity on platforms, and finally 29.6% of them are influenced by pictures and banners. scattered in the streets.

Source: Al Jazeera