Independent Candidates and Winning Elections

By Barrie | April 10th, 2008 | No Comments

Indonesian Democratic Party- Struggle (PDIP) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri said independent candidates for next year`s general election would have difficulty consolidating their positions because they depended on floating masses. “How can an independent candidate consolidate his or her position as he or she will only have the support of floating masses,” Megawati said at a meeting with party cadres here on Thursday. Someone who ran for president, governor, district head or mayor would have a better chance to succeed if he or she was supported by one or more political parties. she said.

Political parties were vehicles for political or ideological struggle within a constitutional system. In every country in the world , political parties were always used as tools of democratic struggle, according to Megawati.

If the leadership of a political party worked hard and always cultivated compactness, the party would not be abandoned by its supporting masses. Independent candidates easily ran the risk of being left in the lurch by their supporters, she added.

Referring to herself, she said she was the longest serving female party leader in the country. “Just look at all present party leaders , who has been a party leaders the longest. I have been at the PDIP`s help for quite a long time because I continuously consolidate, work hard and visit the regions,” the one-time president said.

In a democratic and advanced country, the support of a political party was not only aimed at grabbing the power, but being regarded as an art.

Democratic countries had become strong and made progress because of the support of political parties because political parties were not merely a means to grab political power but also to practice an art.

Therefore, she said, the PDIP which would renominate her for the presidency in the 2009 election was ready to win the future polls.

“In the 2004 presidential election, I did not lose but merely did not get enough votes,” she said , adding her party was now more solid than in 2004 and would therefore be able to win the 2009 general elections.

Source: Antara News