10.47313 FAILURE OF CADERIZATION AND INSTITUTIONAL CANDIDATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES: A CASE STUDY OF THE POSITION OF MAYOR OF BEKASI IN 2012-2022

FAILURE OF CADERIZATION AND INSTITUTIONAL CANDIDATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES: A CASE STUDY OF THE POSITION OF MAYOR OF BEKASI IN 2012-2022

Abstract

Political parties are the primary instruments in running a democratic system and involving the
public in the management of the state. However, the role of political parties needs to improve.
Public trust in political parties has declined, institutionalization needs to be stronger, and poor
cadreship is a significant issue. In general elections, phenomena such as single candidates and
non-party candidates create unhealthy political competition. This research employs a literature
review method to analyze the institutionalization, value identity, decision-making autonomy,
and public image of political parties in Bekasi. The results indicate that the institutionalization
of political parties has yet to reach an ideal level, with party leaders dominating and dependent
on limited resources. The value identity of parties is often blurred, with political parties
focusing more on personal interests than ideology. Party decisionmaking tends to be centralized
among party elites, sacrificing member participation. The public image of political parties is
disturbed by ideological distortions, which confuse voters. The New Institutionalism approach
reveals the complexity of political party institutionalization after the reform, with contextual
factors, reductionism, utilitarianism, functionalism, and instrumentalism influencing party
behaviour. The presidential candidacy process tends to be exclusive, with the dominance of
party chairpersons. Political parties also influence cadreship and recruitment in legislative
candidate selection. To enhance democracy and political representation, there is a need to
improve institutionalization, establish clear value identities, promote member participation, and
ensure transparency within political parties. Additionally, reforms in decision-making and
candidacy are necessary to ensure that public interests dominate Indonesian politics