An exception to the minimum age limit was added to Indonesia's eligibility rules for running for president and vice president on Monday, opening the door for the incumbent's son to do so.
The Indonesian Constitutional Court ruled on petitions to modify the requirements, rejecting a motion to lower the minimum age requirement below 40 years old but narrowly approving an exception for candidates who have already been elected to public office.
The 36-year-old son of President Joko Widodo and current mayor of Surakarta City, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is said to be running as Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto's running partner in the 2024 presidential election.
The president, known as Jokowi, insisted last week that the people have the right to choose their leader in response to accusations that he was aiming to establish a political dynasty in the third-largest democracy in the world.
Did you read this?
Anwar Usman, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, is the president's brother-in-law, which has led to more criticism.
Usman said of the court's decision, which was split 5 to 4 on the bench in favor and against, "With this decision, article 169 Letter Q of Law No. 7/2017 on general elections will now read as follows: a minimum age of 40 years or having held an elected position through general elections, including regional leaders."
President Widodo declared he would not comment on the decision later.
In a video statement, he stated, "I do not wish to comment on the Constitutional Court's ruling as if I were meddling with judicial proceedings.
Political analyst Ray Rangkuti said the court's ruling aroused concerns about political meddling.
"Critics have maintained from the start that this judgement appears to favour specific family interests, and it has cast question on the integrity of these constitutional judges," he stated to AFP.
The court is currently considering several applications about the president's eligibility, but just one exemption has been accepted thus far.
