Conflicts of Interest and Public Opinion

Almost all people stated that the context of the application to test the formula for setting the age limit for nominations for presidential and vice-presidential candidates was very steeped in conflicts of interest. The interests referred to here are only agreed upon in a very narrow sense, namely marital or blood relations or kinship relations drawn into political power relations. It still cannot be said that enough people are questioning the direction and purpose of the petitioners' interests, and certain political parties are submitting these petitions to the Constitutional Court.

The issue of age limits is only brought into the flow of thought patterns that target certain political figures or those currently in office without ever wanting to debate matters of interest in a very contentious political context (constraints of interests). Not only that, public opinion is also at stake in politics and political interests. Does anyone question how law and politics are related to each other, law which should be able to transcend its rigidity and politics which should not limit its flexibility to the variety of possibilities that occur. Yes, law and politics are a phenomenon.

Responding to the Phenomenon

This phenomenon needs to be responded to without overwhelming turmoil by simply speaking out or fighting from the crowd in front of the government building. This phenomenon refers to Charles Taylor's thoughts in formulating a demos reaction that is mobilized to fight a system that does not take their interests into account. The community must be invited to open the cage of communal recognition which does not show the existence of healthy and fresh thinking constructions. Apart from that, political movements must also be renewed, the public must be invited to understand that formal requirements are not a limitation for all citizens, including the younger generation, to take part.

Every community is given an equal share of opportunities to be involved in governance. Within the limits of reasonable reasoning, giving meaning to certain qualification standards shows a decline in the meaning of democracy. This decline in democracy occurred not because of the minimal capacity of leaders or simply because of external pressures such as massive economic changes, changes in the geopolitical situation, destabilization of national institutions, manipulation of the media and information systems and increasingly intensive inequality.