Religion based political party or religious political party is a phenomenon commonly found in various countries throughout the world. This party is not only entrenched in countries that formalize certain religions and cultures as national identity, such as Israel, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also in secular countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, or multicultural countries such as Indonesia.
Nancy L. Rosenblum’s research from Harvard University on religion and ethnic-based parties in Europe and Turkey shows that the emergence of religious and ethnic-based parties into the political arena contributed to the consolidation of democratic regimes. The need to compete in elections has changed the nature of religious and ethnic groups from previously opposing the government and sectarianism, to being supporters of democracy and recognizing pluralism.
In Germany, for example, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which carries a conservative color of Christian culture and politics, is slowly adapting to the currents of diversity in Germany. Then in Turkey, the Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) or the Justice and Development Party began to reduce religion-based policies. The dominant faith-based parties, in fact, have expanded their constituency beyond their religious supporters, and brought new groups that had been politically marginalized into democratic politics.
“The necessity of competition, and not liberalization and theological/ideological accommodation, is a force for political integration. Muslim Democrats are on the streets seeking votes and in the process changing Islam's relationship with politics. Even in Iraq, which does not qualify for party democracy, in the 2005 elections, Shia Ayatollah Ali Sistani—a proponent of a unified Shi'ite candidate list—reminded women of their religious obligation to vote even if their husbands forbid them. It was the necessity of an electoral victory, not religious reform, that compelled it.” (Rosenblum 2007, p. 58).
In another phenomenon, non-religious parties play the keyword religion for electoral purposes. Research led by Leon van den Broeke and Katharina Kunter shows us that the right-wing conservative parties in the Netherlands, namely Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF), Partij voor de Vrijheid (PVV), and Forum voor Democratie (FvD), although secular, but capitalized on Christian religious and cultural sentiments to gain support. These parties frame political narratives with an attitude against Islam. The same thing was found in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The dominant cultural identity of Christianity in German society is played out to counter the threat of Islam, something that is populist in both countries.
In the case of the parties mentioned in the Netherlands and Germany, certain anti-religious or racial sentiments were also carried by secular-nationalist parties. However, in accordance with Brubaker’s thesis, Leon and Katharina also found that the populist movement emphasized Christianity as a cultural and civilizational identity, not religion (Brubaker 2017).
In Pakistan and Israel, the politics of religion plays a role in nation-building. Without Islam, there would be no Pakistan. Without Jews, there is no state of Israel. Not surprisingly, religious authorities and actors in these two countries play an important role in government sectors. With these characteristics, secular political parties will also use religious symbolism in the political arena of the state.
Bharatiya Jannati Party (BJP), the world's largest religious-based political party
The BJP or Indian People's Party has a membership of 180 million people. This makes the BJP, the Hindu nationalist party, the largest faith-based party in the world.
Fadhli Robbi, Lecturer in International Relations at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) explained that BJP adheres to the Hindutva ideology, namely an ideology that mainstreams Hindu identity in efforts to build the nation in India. There are three main teachings of Hindutva, namely rashtra or attachment to one and only homeland; identity or attachment based on biological ancestry from Vedic era ancestors; and sanskriti or attachment to the culture and civilization of Hinduism. A Hindu must fulfill these three elements.
Politically, Hindutva was born to fight against two things, namely colonialism and the politics of Islam-Hindu harmonization a la Gandhi. The Hindutva movement coincides with the Hindu revivalism movement which aims to unite Hindus and strengthen inter-caste solidarity in Hindu society in order to fight waves of Islamization and Christianization.
"So, Hindutva was not born from pure Hindu teachings, but was born with a political context at that time that wanted to fight colonialism and Gandhi's politics who wanted to build harmonious relations between Hindus and Muslims at that time," said Fadhli in the discussion "Religious Politics? Why it is supported by the People?”, Friday (4/30).
The BJP is the political wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu supremacist advocacy movement against minority-friendly policies. Many members of the RSS sit in the reins of the Indian state.
“This RSS is huge. He has 1.8 million active cadres. There are 40 thousand branches. Led by a person, the term is like the high priest, Sarsanghchalak," said Fadhli.
The BJP won the 2014 and 2019 elections thanks to the figure of Narendra Modi, who was previously considered successful as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The BJP also did not use Hindutva narratives during the campaign period thereby attracting a larger constituency. The BJP's campaign is also supported by a large and loyal grassroots base, with a patronage strategy. In fact, in 2004, the Shah Imam Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari invited Muslim voters to vote for the BJP because they were disappointed with the status quo which did not guarantee the economic well-being of the Muslim community.
In fact, however, the strengthening of Hindu identity under the faith-based party BJP has also reduced state services and recognition for Muslims and Christians. India under the leadership of the BJP has issued a policy of converting Mughal-era mosques into Hindu temples, changing the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir to Union Territory, and removing Muslim citizens who have lived in India for a long time from citizenship status.
The case of India reflects one thing, namely that the strong identity of the majority in a country, even though it is a nation and state building factor, and maintains social control, has the nature to override the rights of minorities who are religiously, racially and culturally different from the majority. At this point, religious populism runs counter to the protection of minorities. The rise of the BJP also uses populist economic populism to shine in fierce competition against thousands of political parties.
Religious political parties in other countries
Rachid Ghannouchi's name appears in the themes of Islam, Islamic politics and democracy. After a period of exile to London, this Ben Ali regime opposition thinker and activist then returned to Tunisia in 2011 and led the An-Nahdhah movement, a movement that brought a spirit of change to Tunisian politics.
Although An-Nahdhah was founded by former Jamaah al Islamiyah activists who support Islamism, An-Nahdhah's political stance is progressive. Ghannouchi, who is known as a true democrat, brought An-Nahdhah to an accommodative attitude towards the opposition and groups that are opposite to them. This party also has a side with equality of welfare, fulfillment of women's rights, gender equality, political pluralism and freedom of expression. An-Nahdhah is a rare example of a religion-based political party whose actions show that religious identity is not a barrier to the implementation of inclusive progressive politics.
Moving to Germany, the CDU is a Christian-based political party that supports a free market economy. Unlike the Christian Social Union (CSU) Party, the CDU under Angela Merkel took a more moderate step. Merkel often calls for tolerance and living together.
“Before Merkel was led, the CDU was more conservative. Merkel invites the CDU to be more in the middle. The value is tolerance and living together," said Lecturer in International Relations at Slamet Riyadi University, Ganjar Widhiyoga in the same discussion.
Unfortunately, the right populism which is strengthening in Germany with the issue of anti-Muslim refugees has earned the CDU criticism from some constituents. The CDU allows Muslim refugees to enter Germany.
“There are CDU followers who are disappointed because the CDU allows Muslim refugees to enter Germany. That's why they prefer the SPD (Social Democratic Party)," concluded Slamet.
In Indonesia, religion-based political parties have existed since the beginning of Independence. After the Reformation, there were at least six religious-based parties, namely Partai Persatuan Pembangunan [the United Development Party] (PPP), Partai Amanat Nasional [the National Mandate Party] (PAN), Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa [the National Awakening Party] (PKB), Partai Keadilan Sejahtera [the Social Justice Party] (PKS), Partai Damai Sejahtera [the Prosperous Peace Party] (PDS), and Partai Bulan Bintang [the Crescent Star Party] (PBB). None of these parties have called for hostility towards religious minorities. However, the desire to win the moral sympathy of the majority makes vulnerable groups such as transgender still victims of bullying in election campaigns.
There are various characteristics of the phenomenon of religion-based political parties in various countries. There are parties that intentionally attract the support of the majority to carry narratives that exclude and discriminate against minorities, but there are also parties that carry an inclusive political platform.
From Rosenblum's article, religion-based political parties that don't have great public support are often left alone because small-scale parties are seen as not a threat. However, religious-based parties with large support are often seen as a threat for various reasons, such as that these parties are anti-democratic, create identity politics that are detrimental to minorities, and are discriminatory.
These reasons must be evaluated critically, because discrimination and hostility towards minorities are negative things, but revoking the right to form political parties is also a non-democratic act. []
This article is translated by Catherine Natalia.
