Street protests broke out across Indonesia on Thursday as citizens vented their anger over a proposed election bill that many fear will strengthen President Joko Widodo’s political dynasty.
A protest outside the parliament building in Jakarta turned violent when more than 2,000 demonstrators set fire to tires and tried to force their way into the building.
Riot police encountered those who managed to break through the metal barricades, as smoke billowed from burning tires.
In the city of Semarang, police fired tear gas and water cannons to quell a crowd trying to reach the local legislative council building.
Similar demonstrations took place in several other Indonesian cities.
The anger was sparked by a bill on elections being discussed in parliament.
Lawmakers considered the bill a day after the Constitutional Court ordered a review of the requirements political parties must meet to nominate candidates in regional elections.
The court’s ruling was intended to prevent large parties from dominating the electoral process at the local level, thereby opening up the political landscape to smaller parties and independent candidates.
But parliament, dominated by parties backing Joko and his successor Prabowo Subianto, immediately drafted a bill to overturn the court ruling. Prabowo is currently elected president and will take office in October.
