The Democratic Party is planning to begin the process of selecting potential presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2014 election in September, a party executive said on Tuesday.
Syarief Hassan, the executive chairman of the party, said that the Democrats were carefully formulating the regulations and mechanisms for their upcoming convention.
“In September, we will open registration, and may keep it open for a month or more,” Syarief said.
He said that the target is for all regulations and mechanisms to be decided on by July or August.
“In September, there will be a preliminary phase or a selection process. At this stage, four to five candidates at the top of the list will be selected. The final selections will be made just ahead of the presidential election,” Syarief said.
Syarief, who is also currently the minister for cooperative and small and medium enterprises, remarked that the convention will be open to anyone, including individuals from other political parties.
He added, however, that politicians from other parties who passed the initial selection process would have to shed their previous membership and join the Democratic Party.
“That is the consequence. They [must] resign [from their party] if they pass the preliminary phase. We do not want them to be still linked to their party of origin,” Syarief said.
The presidential election is currently scheduled for July 2014
by: Robertus Wardi
source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/democrats-to-commence-candidate-selection-process-in-september/
