Public Opposes President Serving as a Party Official

The majority of the public disagrees with the idea that the President should be a party official. Only 16.8% of respondents to a survey conducted by LSI Denny JA in August 2023 concurred that the President should serve as a party official. However, a significant majority of 71.6% of respondents stated that they disagree with the President serving as a party official.

The explanation for this is straightforward. People flock to the polls to vote for a President who will work for their interests, their welfare, and the desired principles of justice, rather than for the political party's interests. Therefore, it is preferable to refer to the President as a "public servant" or a "constitutional servant" as opposed to a "party official."

It is true that the President is nominated by a political party, but the party does not need to endorse all policies and opinions. The scope of the President's duties is limited by the Constitution and applicable laws, not by party preferences.

Declaring the President to be a party official is contrary to democratic principles. In a democracy, the President serves the public interest, not the interests of a political party, much less the chairman of that party.

In numerous instances throughout history, even the President has fought for his country and against the policies of his own party. John F. Kennedy stated, "My loyalty is to the United States and not to any political party."

Prior to the 2024 Indonesian presidential election, it is crucial to comprehend these political discourse principles so that we know which are correct and which are incorrect. Declaring the President to be a party official not only violates democratic principles, but is also unconstitutional.

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A survey was conducted on 1,200 respondents on a national scale with multi-stage random sampling. The margin of error is 2.9%

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Ekspresi Data Denny J.A, 2023