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Bekasi labor candidates split votes, but coordination sometimes concentrated support

A large crowd of workers wearing orange and white safety vests and hard hats seated together in what appears to be an indoor assembly or gathering, displaying engaged participation in a collective meeting or rally.
Research area:Social SciencesSociology and Political SciencePolitical Science and International Relations

What the study found

Fragmentation among labor candidates in Bekasi could create "derby" competition, meaning multiple candidates from the labor movement ran against one another in the same constituencies and split the vote. The study also found that this fragmentation could sometimes be temporarily reduced through cross-union coordination behind one candidate.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors suggest their findings matter because they challenge the expectation that labor fragmentation necessarily prevents electoral success. They conclude that, under fragmented institutional conditions, labor agency may work through flexible, ad-hoc coalition-building rather than through full organizational unification.

What the researchers tested

The study used a qualitative process-tracing design. It combined documentary analysis of official electoral data from the General Election Commission (KPU) and labor organization records from the Ministry of Labor with in-depth interviews with union leaders and labor activists, focusing on Bekasi in the 2019 Indonesian legislative election.

What worked and what didn't

The findings identify vote splitting as a key effect of multiple labor candidates competing in the same constituencies, especially under Indonesia's open-list proportional representation system. At the same time, instrumental cross-union coordination could concentrate labor votes behind a single candidate, and the case of Obon Tabroni is presented as an example of this outcome.

What to keep in mind

The abstract says the coordination observed was localized and personalized, which limits broader generalization. It also notes that cooperation appears viable when supported by sectoral commonality, shared historical trajectories, and respected bridging figures.

Key points

  • The study finds that labor fragmentation in Bekasi produced "derby" competition and vote splitting.
  • Cross-union coordination sometimes concentrated labor votes behind one candidate.
  • The authors link vote splitting to Indonesia's open-list proportional representation system.
  • The case of Obon Tabroni is presented as challenging the expectation that labor fragmentation blocks electoral success.
  • The coordination described is said to be localized and personalized, limiting generalization.

Disclosure

Research title:
Bekasi labor candidates split votes, but coordination sometimes concentrated support
Authors:
Tunjung Sulaksono, Kuskridho Ambardi
Institutions:
Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Publication date:
2026-02-26
DOI:
10.3389/fpos.2026.1747641
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by OpenAI. The original authors did not write or review this post.

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