Indonesia’s Female Candidates Use Social Media To Boost Islamic Image And Win Elections
In recent years, voters in Indonesia have supported candidates with solid religious personas whose lifestyles and appearances adhere to Islamic values.
The world’s largest Muslim-majority democracy has seen an increasing trend toward Islamic piety.
That’s according to a paper published by researchers Haryanto and Rizkika Lhena Darwin in the nonprofit, independent news organization The Conversation.
Many political candidates have been taking advantage of social media to design campaigns promoting piety.
Female political candidates have started to use social media to bring about social change and encourage women to become politically engaged.
During the 2019 election, many Indonesian women running for political office used social media to bolster their Islamic image.
Research shows creating an Islamic image on social media helps female candidates increase their electability and supports female participation and representation.
In 2019, female candidates accounted for nearly 42% of all candidates vying for 30 seats, the General Elections Commission reports.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
