Issue

Vol 13 No 2 (2025): PCD Journal Vol. 13 No. 2 2025

Pre-Election Dynamics in Yogyakarta

Conflict Risks and Mitigation Strategies among Political Party Underbows prior to the 2024 Election
https://doi.org/10.22146/pcd.v13i2.21119
Sherlly Rossa
sherllyrossa@mail.ugm.ac.id
Department of Politics and Government, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Muhammad Sidik Efendi
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Lenny Aurelia Amilia
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Muhammad Ali Syahadah
Department of Development Geography, Faculty of Geography, Universitas Gadjah Mada.
Stefanus Ega Panji Panuntun
Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Corresponding Author(s) : Sherlly Rossa

sherllyrossa@mail.ugm.ac.id

PCD Journal, Vol 13 No 2 (2025): PCD Journal Vol. 13 No. 2 2025

Abstract

This study examines electoral conflict dynamics in Indonesia's Yogyakarta Special Region, which is identified as the second-most vulnerable region nationally, with a score of 63.67% on the 2024 Election Vulnerability Index (Indeks Kerawanan Pemilu/IKP). A significant driver of this vulnerability is the recurrent conflict among political party-affiliated groups or grassroots organisations (often referred to as "underbows"), which tends to escalate during election periods. This research aims to analyse the historical context and decompose the core factors contributing to these conflicts. It also seeks to formulate a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder roadmap for conflict mitigation ahead of the 2024 general elections. Employing a qualitative, phenomenological approach, the study is theoretically grounded in Paul Wehr's (2019) conflict anatomy framework and the patron–client political-economic perspectives developed by Gerry van Klinken & Ward Berenschot (2018). Our findings reveal five key conflict triggers: historical legacies, personal rivalries, "black campaigns" by political parties, ambiguous security strategies, and entrenched political-economic interests. This research contributes to scientific knowledge by applying and extending conflict anatomy and patron-client theories to the specific context of Indonesian sub-national electoral violence, providing a nuanced understanding of its underlying mechanisms. Based on these insights, we propose practical resolutions, including enhancing civic political education, strengthening law enforcement, and strategically mapping vulnerable areas. These evidence-based recommendations are critical for fostering a more peaceful, participatory, and democratic electoral environment in Yogyakarta.

Keywords

Political party underbow conflict election Yogyakarta city
Rossa, S., Efendi, M. S., Amilia, L. A., Syahadah, M. A., & Panuntun, S. E. P. (2025). Pre-Election Dynamics in Yogyakarta. PCD Journal, 13(2), 1-40. https://doi.org/10.22146/pcd.v13i2.21119
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. Andany, A. (2023). Tension between Democratic Party and Development Party Sympathizers in Yogyakarta Triggered by a Misunderstanding. Kumparan. Retrieved from https://kumparan.com/tugujogja/ketegangan-simpatisan-DemocraticParty-dan-DevelopmentParty-di-jogja-dipicu-salah-paham-1zbOUI84H5F/full.
  2. Arifin, M. (2023). Social Disharmony in Urban Village Communities in the Era of Democratization (Conflict and Social Disharmony in Yogyakarta during the 2019 Presidential Election). SASDAYA: Gadjah Mada Journal of Humanities, 7(1), 58–76.
  3. Arsyad, H. (2022). Mapping the Long-standing Conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Jurnal Kolaborasi Resolusi Konflik, 4(2).
  4. Badan Pengawas Pemilihan Umum (Bawaslu). (2022). Electoral Vulnerability Index. https://fliphtml5.com/gzebx/icpl
  5. Berenschot, W. (2018). The Political Economy of Clientelism: A Comparative Study of Indonesia’s Patronage Democracy. Comparative Political Studies, 51(12), 1563-1593.
  6. Berenschot, W. (2020). Patterned Program: Patronage Networks as Infrastructure for Electoral Violence in India and Indonesia. Journal of Peace Research, 57(1), 171–184.
  7. Berenschot, W., & Van Klinken, G. (2018). Informality and Citizenship: the Everyday State in Indonesia. Citizenship Studies, 22(2), 95-111.
  8. Chubb, A., & Wang, F. Y. (2023). Authoritarian Propaganda Campaigns on Foreign Affairs: Four Birds, One Stone, and the South China Sea Arbitration. International Studies Quarterly, 67(3).
  9. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
  10. Febrianty, Y., & Ghafur, J. (2020). The Role of Political Party Wing Organizations (OSP) in Preventing the Decline of Political Party Membership in Indonesia. In Proceedings of the Constitutional Law Symposium: “Regulating Political Party Wing Organizations” (1st ed.). FH UII Press.
  11. Government of Indonesia. (2011). Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 2 Tahun 2011 tentang Partai Politik. Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2011 Nomor 8.
  12. Haryanto, & Mahsun, M. (2024). Business and Politics in Urban Indonesia: Patrimonialism, Oligarchy and the State in Two Towns. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 43(2), 177-197.
  13. Karim, A. G., Budi, A., Kustiningsih, W., Prasetyo, W., Dinda, K. A., & Ragil, G. (2019). Electoral Vulnerability Map in the Special Region of Yogyakarta: The 2019 Simultaneous Election Experience. Yogyakarta, Indonesia: PolGov.
  14. Klinken, G. V., & Berenschot, W. (2019). Citizenship in Indonesia: The Struggle for Rights, Identity, and Participation. Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia.
  15. Kurniawan, R. (2025). Patronage Networks and Power Disparities: The Legacy of Political Patronage in Indonesia's Governance and Democracy. Jurnal Politik Profetik, 13(1), 1-32.
  16. Nope, B. (2019). The Issue of Regulating Political Party Wing Organizations. Yurisprudensia Law Journal, 17(2), 69–77.
  17. Nurdin, P. H. (2019). Legal Politics of Regulating Political Education by Political Parties. Jambura Law Review, 1(2), 144–166.
  18. Okthariza, N. (2023). The Dynamics of Coalition Politics and the Potential Postponement of the 2024 Indonesian Presidential Election. Indonesian Quarterly, 51(1).
  19. Puadi, P., Romli, L., & Jalal, A. (2025). Political Dynamics and Electoral Oversight in Indonesia: An Evaluation of Bawaslu's Role in Upholding Democracy. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(2), 1100–111.
  20. Pualillin, A. (2022). Implementation of Law Enforcement in the Duties and Functions of the Police as Law Enforcers. Mandar: Social Science Journal, 1(1), 86–99.
  21. Setiawan, H. (2024). Political Bondage: Eksistensi Sumber Daya Alam dalam Mendesain Tatanan Politik Elektoral Berbiaya Tinggi di Indonesia. Bestuurskunde: Journal of Governmental Studies, 4(1), 1-14.
  22. Siregar, S. N. (2022). Patronage Democracy in Indonesia. Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences and Humanities, 10(1).
  23. Subandi, Y. (2021). Political Patronage between the Community Organization Brigade Joxzin and the United Development Party in the 2019 General Election in the Special Region of Yogyakarta [Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta].
  24. Walther, O. J., Radil, S. M., Russell, D. G., & Trémolières, M. (2023). Introducing the Spatial Conflict Dynamics Indicator of Political Violence. Terrorism and Political Violence, 35(3), 533-552.
  25. Wehr, P. (2019). Conflict Regulation (1st ed.). New York: Routledge.
  26. Wicaksono, P. (2014). Democratic Party and Development Party Masses Clash in Yogyakarta. Tempo. Retrieved from https://pemilu.tempo.co/read/568206/massa-Democratic Party-dan-Development Party-bentrok-di-yogyakarta
  27. Wijayanti, S. N., & Iswandi, K. (2021). The Role of Political Party Wing Organizations in Political Party Cadre Development in Indonesia. SASI, 27(4), 475–491.
  28. Zakaria, A. (2014). Clashes among Loyal Political Party Supporters during Elections in Yogyakarta. Tempo. Retrieved from https://nasional.tempo.co/read/568493/bentrok-pendukung-partai-langganan-pem ilu-di-yogya
Read More
Author biographies is not available.
Download this PDF file
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 98 Download : 142