Selecting Candidate : Understanding Party Selectors Preferences in the 2024 Indonesian Legislative Election

This study investigates the candidate selection process for Indonesia's 2024 legislative elections, focusing on how party selectors balance key criteria such as partisanship, popularity, competence, and favoritism.The aim is to understand the factors influencing the nomination of candidates, especially in a system where voters are restricted to party-provided candidate lists.Using qualitative research, the study conducts in-depth interviews with selectors and candidates from the Functional Party (Golkar) and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) to gather insights into the decision-making process.The results show that selectors prioritize loyalty and popularity over competence, with informal networks, such as family ties and political connections, playing a significant role.This behavior is driven by the desire for immediate electoral success, even though effective in securing votes, may risks undermining the development of a merit-based political system.The study highlights the importance of balancing short-term electoral gains with long-term party cohesion and governance effectiveness.By introducing favoritism as a distinct criterion, the research contributes to the understanding of informal practices in candidate selection, offering a more nuanced view of political recruitment in transitional democracies.The findings suggest that while partisanship and popularity are crucial for electoral success, future research should explore the long-term consequences of these selection strategies and their impact on governance.