Prabowo-Gibran Supporters Plan to Submit 10,000 Amicus Curiae Documents to Constitutional Court

Supporters of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka presidential ticket are preparing to submit 10,000 amicus curiae documents to Indonesia's Constitutional Court as part of their legal challenge to the results of the 2024 presidential election.

The move comes as the Prabowo-Gibran campaign continues to dispute the official vote count, which showed incumbent President Ganjar Pranowo winning re-election.

An amicus curiae, Latin for "friend of the court," refers to a party that is not directly involved in a case but offers information that may be relevant to the court's decision. The Prabowo-Gibran team believes the documents, which include reports of alleged voting irregularities and violations, could help sway the court to nullify the election results and order a revote in certain areas.

"We have received thousands of complaints and reports from citizens across Indonesia about issues with the voting process," said Fadli Zon, a spokesperson for the Prabowo-Gibran campaign. "These amicus curiae briefs demonstrate that the will of the people was not accurately reflected in the official results. The Constitutional Court has an obligation to thoroughly review this evidence."

However, the Ganjar campaign and election officials have dismissed the complaints, stating that the election was conducted freely and fairly. The General Elections Commission (KPU) has stood by the official results, which gave Ganjar 54.6% of the vote compared to 43.7% for Prabowo-Gibran.

"The KPU followed all the proper procedures in carrying out the election and counting the votes," said KPU chair Hasyim Asy'ari. "We have not seen credible evidence of systematic fraud or errors that would have altered the outcome. The losing side always makes these claims, but they need to prove it with facts, not just accusations."

Why this matters: The legal challenge and plan to submit a large volume of amicus curiae documents threatens to further extend the uncertainty and tensions in the aftermath of Indonesia's closest presidential race since the country's transition to democracy. The Constitutional Court's handling of the case will be closely watched, with pressure from both sides and high stakes for the country's political stability and democratic institutions.

The nine-member Constitutional Court has not yet set a date to begin hearing the Prabowo-Gibran campaign's lawsuit. According to election laws, the court has 14 working days to issue a ruling after the case is registered. "The Constitutional Court will carefully examine all the evidence presented, including any amicus curiae briefs, and make a ruling based on the law and facts," said Constitutional Court spokesperson Fajar Laksono. The Prabowo-Gibran team said it expects to formally submit the 10,000 documents to the court next week.

Key Takeaways

• Prabowo-Gibran campaign to submit 10,000 amicus curiae documents to challenge 2024 election
• Amicus curiae briefs allege voting irregularities, aim to nullify results and order revote
• KPU and Ganjar campaign dismiss complaints, stand by official results showing Ganjar's win
• Constitutional Court to carefully examine evidence, make ruling within 14 working days
• Legal challenge threatens to extend post-election tensions, impact political stability and democracy