{
  "id": 4522848,
  "title": "NU hands clerics greater power in historic change to leadership election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/nu-hands-clerics-greater-power-in-historic-change-to-leadership",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-30T23:26:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Jakarta Post",
    "slug": "the-jakarta-post",
    "url": "https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2026/08/31/nu-hands-clerics-greater-power-in-historic-change-to-leadership-election.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, has made a historic change to its leadership election process. The decision, made during the group's 35th national congress in Jombang, East Java, will see clerics electing their next chairman indirectly through a council of senior officials, known as the Ahlul Halli wal-aqdi (AHWA). This marks the first time in NU's history, as the group has traditionally used a one-member-one-vote system. The AHWA, a nine-member council of senior NU clerics, will now be responsible for selecting the group's chairman, with delegates representing NU regional branches merely nominating candidates. The decision was overwhelmingly approved by 401 of 552 eligible delegates, with 150 voting to retain the direct voting system and one ballot declared invalid.",
  "summary": "Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has decided to elect its next chairman indirectly through a council of senior clerics, abandoning the one-member-one-vote system as disagreements persisted ahead of the planned election of chairman of the country’s largest Muslim organization on Sunday night.",
  "key_points": [
    "NU's leadership election process changes",
    "Clerics elect chairman indirectly through AHWA council",
    "Decision approved by 401 of 552 delegates"
  ],
  "editors_take": "This change concentrates power in the hands of senior clerics, shifting influence away from regional branch delegates and potentially altering the dynamics of NU's leadership.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}