Strengthening the Political Democracy of Regional Head Candidates through Independent Channels in Aceh

Abstract

The significance of mapping the study of democratic parties through the presence of potential leaders as people's representatives in occupying executive positions in regional governments through individual channels. The unique path is a national legal political agreement in the area of elections that allows people who are not members of political parties to nominate themselves as regional heads in the Aceh region's provinces.The theory of political participation and leadership is used as a research mapping in an analytical scheme in this study. The research method employs a qualitative approach to interviewing techniques in order to examine the style of existence and political leadership of regional leaders on a case-by-case basis. The results explain: Individual candidates are more commonly referred to as "independent candidates" in Aceh, according to the findings. The existence of Pilkada became a doorway for former GAM political participation. Almost all GAM regional head candidates from governor to regent/mayor level won in the 2006 Pilkada. And in 2009 the individual candidates’ showed popularity in the Aceh regional elections decreased after former GAM formed a local political party in 2009 and discovered that a new independent candidate can win the pilkada if he possesses three characteristics: personal character, logistics, and political skills.