POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY IN THE DIRECT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN INDONESIA IN 2024

Abstract

In Indonesia's democratic system, the principle of popular sovereignty is concretely implemented through direct presidential elections. Since the enactment of the direct election system in 2004, the dynamics of national politics have undergone significant changes, especially in terms of the formation of political party coalitions. This study was designed to explore how political parties and their coalitions contribute to democratic strengthening. It also provides an analysis of the dynamics and future of these party alliances, particularly concerning the 2024 Presidential General Election. Based on a normative research method and a literature study, this research concluded that political party coalitions are a strategic instrument in a multiparty system that, due to the presidential threshold, does not allow a single party to nominate a presidential candidate on its own. Coalitions formed are often pragmatic, rather than ideologically common, making them vulnerable to division and difficult to ensure stable and accountable governance. The study also showed that the success of the coalition in winning elections is not solely determined by the size of the party's coalition, but also by the candidate's popularity, campaign strategy, and internal stability of the coalition. In the context of democracy, political coalitions have two sides: as a tool for political power integration that can strengthen government stability, but also have the potential to weaken the opposition's function and the principle of checks and balances if it is not built on the basis of transparency and accountability. Therefore, the formation of a coalition must be directed to strengthen the quality of democracy, not just to be a vehicle for short-term power.