Jakarta – In a country where the youth demographic dominates like Indonesia, electoral campaigns, currently ongoing as of February 14th, are revolving around this group to attract and persuade them to vote for specific candidates. The candidates are utilizing various methods to reach out to the youth in ways that resonate with them.
According to the Election Commission, Indonesia’s population stands at 273 million, with around 205 million eligible to vote, and the youth among them constitute 56% of the voters.
The Commission defines the youth category as those encompassing the Millennial generation (aged 31-40), comprising 33.3% of the voters, and Generation Z (aged 17-30) making up about 24.1%.
In a country where these two generations make up more than half of the voters, the age range of the candidates; Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and former provincial governors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, ranges between 54 and 72 years old, excluding the sole young candidate Gibrann Rakabuming Raka (35 years old), running for Vice President alongside Prabowo Subianto, and who is the son of the current President Joko Widodo.
From the campaign of candidate Ganjar Pranowo presenting dances and singing that appeal to the youth (Al Jazeera)
Active Social Media Engagement
The digital research firm Publicx revealed that voters from Generation Z have high hopes in the candidates’ speeches, while Millennials tend to think more realistically and doubt the electoral campaign speeches.
In a study conducted by Publicx from August 31st to September 12th, 2023, about the elections, it was found that the majority of Indonesian youth (aged 13-24) rely on social media as a primary source of electoral information.
Therefore, the three presidential candidates, as well as parliamentary candidates, are focusing on reaching this demographic and engaging with them in ways that appeal to them; actively participating in extensive campaigns on TikTok and Instagram to influence the votes of this generation.
Statistics from “Digital Indonesia Foundation” 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 Instagram users and 178 million Indonesians on Facebook, while TikTok has 126 million users, showing continuous growth.
For instance, following the first debate for the Vice President position last month, clips of the livestream were viewed 300 million times within 12 hours on TikTok.
After the second presidential debate this month, the presidential candidate with white hair, Pranowo, appeared live on TikTok wearing a green military jacket, mimicking Tom Cruise in his movie “Top Gun”.
Similarly, videos of candidate Subianto, who is 72 years old, dancing flooded social media accounts in Indonesia, transforming his image from a retired general with past human rights violations allegations in the late 90s to a “lovely grandpa” as affectionately labeled by the youth.
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According to Publicx, leadership qualities, clear vision, and acceptance are preferred characteristics for Indonesian youth voters. This makes social media campaigns particularly crucial in this electoral race.
In terms of specific policies, 83% of survey participants demand the government to create more job opportunities, with approximately 76% hoping for improved educational opportunities to secure job security, and around 72% seeking more effective policies to combat government corruption.
Moreover, many youth express concern about Indonesian national identity under the influence of Western and Chinese cultures, and recently Korea, which have eroded certain aspects of it.
Cautious Optimism
Al Jazeera interviewed Indonesian youth to gather their views on electoral programs, their realism, and their expectations from the upcoming elected President.
Iman Abdel Rahman (23 years old), a student at the Government Islamic University, wishes for the elected President to be honest in performing his duties, “and not prioritize personal interests over the country’s interests to ensure a better future for Indonesia, diverse racially and religiously. and to be able to eliminate favoritism, bribery, and corruption that the country has suffered for decades.”
Azam Zeidan Noor (24 years old), a student at the Asian University in Malaysia who returned to participate in the elections, says, “We exercise our right to vote for the first time, and we hope that the next President will rebuild democracy in the country correctly.”
Noor explains, saying, “This can be achieved by reconsidering the citizen, who is the basis of democratic life, not financial and political influence, and by combating violations of citizen liberties in expressing their opinions and criticizing the government because that kills democratic life. And being able to improve the economic, educational, and health situations for citizens so that we can move together towards Indonesia’s golden age in 2045.”
On the other hand, Faras Anwar Maulana (24 years old), working as a teacher in a private school, expresses optimism that the presidential candidates have the ability to fulfill their positive promises made during the electoral campaigns.
Regarding what he expects from the next President, he says, “We hope for attention to the poor class, which is vast in society, securing stable fuel prices, reducing unemployment rates, and focusing on the youth and involving them in decision-making in a suitable manner.”
This is also echoed by Herana Nugraha (22 years old), a teacher in a private school, in terms of engaging the youth, especially since some candidates are counting on this generation, “As young people, we have aspirations for our country to be stable and secure, as our nation matters to us as much as it matters to the government and state institutions, and it is our right to participate appropriately in developing our country alongside the government.”
Presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate Anies Baswedan (left) and Mahiman Iskandar during an election campaign in Jakarta (Anadolu)
Economic Concerns of Youth
Indonesian youth are under significant pressure and concerns about securing a decent living standard amidst rising prices and the devaluation of the rupiah.
With the beginning of the new democratic system era in 1998, the poverty line for an individual per month was around 42,000 rupiahs (approximately 4.5 dollars), whereas today, according to 2023 statistics, the poverty line for an individual per month has increased to 550,458 rupiahs (about 35 dollars). This poses a burden on the youth who are starting their professional lives amidst limited job opportunities and income.
Aisha Putri Budiyarti, a researcher at the National Research Agency, believes “the youth have a significant and influential role in the elections; hence, the candidates focus on addressing them, which is more evident in these elections than before since they constitute more than half of the eligible voters.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera, she says, “Of course, the youth are influenced by the campaign strategies of the candidates, and the most effective platforms and mediums for this sector are social media platforms, where the youth are active. Therefore, the successful candidate is the one who can reach out to the youth and persuade them with their program, especially concerning them and their future, as they are more politically aware compared to older generations.”
Regarding the issues concerning youth in the electoral campaigns, Budiyarti says, “According to recent studies from several opinion polling centers, the most concerning issues for youth are the availability of job opportunities as they are in the working age or about to enter it, such as university students. Then, they are concerned about the economic programs of the candidates to ensure a stable future for their current or future families, followed by the importance of healthcare insurance and health services in the country.”
Mascots depicting the presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and the vice-presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka during an electoral event (AFP)
Surface Cultural Concerns
On the other hand, researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mohammad Saleh, says, “I am not sure that the youth will have a significant role in determining the course of these elections, even though more than half of the voters are from this demographic, as most of them are not politically literate. Their political awareness comes from social media platforms, which do not offer a genuine political culture as much as entertainment.”
Saleh emphasizes in his interview with Al Jazeera that considering Gibran, the son of President Joko Widodo, for the Vice President position as a victory for the youth is not accurate because he was not chosen due to his youth (35 years old) but because he is the president’s son, indicating no particular concern for the youth element.
Regarding the factors influencing youth voting choices, Saleh says based on studies from polling research centers examining this matter, 37% of them are influenced by those around them and their beliefs, 32% are affected by the candidate’s digital footprint or their presence and activity online, and finally, 29.6% are influenced by the images and banners scattered in the streets.
