Three Advantages for Democratic Party

VIVAnews - Political analyst Doddy Ambardi said the best position ever reached by the Functional Group (Golkar) Party is now shifted unconditionally by the Democratic Party. For the time being, the Democratic Party gains votes that are way beyond Golkar.

"Several regions where Golkar dominated in the past are now replaced by the Democratic Party, except the Golkar-based South Sulawesi," said Ambardi.

There are three factors causing the Democratic Party to acquire more votes than Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) in the parliamentary Elections.

First, Democratic Party's central figure Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has a fine image. Yudhoyono is the head of the party's board of trustees. The party's soul lies on his figure as well. The combination has been the party's strength in mobilizing the masses to vote for the party. 

The result of the combination is exceptional. In fact, the support for Yudhoyono is larger than it is for the Democratic Party. "The support for Yudhoyono is twice higher than it is for the party," said Ambardi.

Second, continuous campaigns that the party run had widened the scope of the voters. The party was quite lucky because Golkar and PDIP had only run campaigns through advertisement when the Elections day was nearing.

Third, Golkar is benefited by the Yudhoyono's position, which is now an incumbent. The position, he said, had greatly affected people to vote for the party. "[The party] could claim that the government's programs were also their programs. It was a kind of a simplification," he said.

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Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono