Winning Elections with the Right VP Candidate

VIVAnews - Director of Center for Strategic Policy and Development Husin Yazid said that vice presidential candidacy will play a large factor in the victory of a presidential candidate in the 2009 Elections.

"The current condition is such that the next presidential candidate will be largely determined by his/her vice presidential candidate," said Yazid on Tuesday, Dec 30.

According to Yazid, there are several reasons of why a vice presidential candidate may help a presidential candidate win the elections. First, said Yazid, is that time matters. "It is impossible that in the next six months new presidential candidates would appear," he said.

Second, with regard to the Law on General Elections, it is stipulated that a political party must have a minimum of 20 percent of seats in the parliament or obtain 25 percent of total national votes as a condition to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Yazid said that the above factors would increase the popularity of a vice presidential candidate. That is the reason of why a vice presidential figure may be the key to winning the 2009 Elections. 

"Therefore, a presidential candidate who is able to take the chance by having a competent vice presidential candidate whose electability is high may win the elections," said Yazid.

Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono