Protests planned in Indonesia amid judicial, legislative tensions

Protests are planned in Indonesia as parliament looks to annul changes to election laws made by the constitutional court, a reversal that could further strengthen the political influence of outgoing President Joko Widodo.

The parliament's plan to unwind this week's court rulings would block a vocal government critic in the race for the influential post of Jakarta governor, and also pave the way for Widodo's youngest son to run in elections in Java this November.

The power struggle between the parliament and the judiciary comes after a week of dramatic political developments in the world's third-largest democracy, and in the final stretch of the president's second term.

Widodo downplayed the concerns, saying the court ruling and parliamentary deliberations were part of the standard "checks and balances" of government.

However, legal experts and political analysts have described the events as bordering on a constitutional crisis.

Elections analyst Titi Anggraini characterised the manoeuvre as "constitutional insubordination" that had the potential to stir unrest.

The political manoeuvres have sparked a wave of criticism online, with blue posters featuring the words "Emergency Warning" above Indonesia's symbolic national eagle shared widely on social media.

Protests are planned outside the parliament in Jakarta and in the cities of Surabaya and Yogyakarta on Thursday, with police deploying 3,000 personnel in the capital, according to media reports.