Rethinking Inclusion in the Age of Political Disruption: Lessons from East Java’s 2024 Local Elections

Abstract

The 2024 local elections in East Java, Indonesia, unfolded amid profound socio political transformations shaped by rapid digitalization and demographic shifts. This study investigates how political disruption manifested through the dominance of young voters, the rise of digital campaigning, and the transformation of political communication reshaped local electoral dynamics and redefined patterns of inclusion and exclusion. Employing a qualitative exploratory approach, data were collected through in depth interviews with political actors, participatory observation during campaigns and content analysis of digital media and electoral documents. Critical discourse analysis was applied to uncover how power relations and political narratives were constructed in digitally mediated spaces. The findings reveal that digital disruption has reconfigured political patronage, shifting legitimacy from authority based structures to popularity and online influence. While this creates new opportunities for participation, particularly for younger voters, it also entrenches exclusionary dynamics affecting rural communities, older citizens and digitally disadvantaged groups. Without inclusive policy frameworks and digital equity measures, political disruption risks deepening existing social inequalities. By situating East Java as a lens for examining broader national dynamics, this study contributes to debates on democratic innovation, digital politics and the imperative of inclusive governance in evolving democracies of the Global South.