President Joko Widodo Holds Sway Over Key Indonesian Election
In Semarang, Indonesia, the highly popular President Joko Widodo, known as “Jokowi”, has a significant influence on the upcoming election, despite not being a candidate himself. His son has been chosen as the running mate of Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is in the lead in the polls and is widely believed to have Jokowi’s backing.
Although Jokowi has not officially endorsed any candidate, his son’s presence in the race has been seen as a signal of approval from the president. Jokowi has an 80% approval rating and holds immense sway over the 205 million voters in Indonesia, where he will step down from office this October after serving the maximum two terms.
Analysts attribute Prabowo’s recent surge in popularity to what they are calling the “Jokowi effect”. His lead over Jokowi’s former party member, Ganjar Pranowo, in Central Java, has grown significantly after including Jokowi’s son on his ticket.
The situation has dramatically shifted from a year ago, when Ganjar was the frontrunner. Reports of a rift between Jokowi and the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) have led to speculation that Jokowi’s alignment with Prabowo is due to internal party conflicts.
According to analysts, Jokowi’s support has been crucial to Prabowo’s campaign, despite the controversy surrounding Prabowo’s past and criticism of dynastic politics. Jokowi’s influence is evident in the ongoing social assistance programs he has been personally distributing in Central Java, raising questions about his neutrality.
The impact of Jokowi’s involvement in the election has caused significant upheaval, particularly for Ganjar’s campaign. Prabowo’s success, especially in Central Java, has been attributed to the powerful influence of Jokowi, who is seen as the ultimate kingmaker.
Despite Prabowo’s appeal to voters and his promise of continuity with Jokowi’s policies, analysts caution that his victory is not guaranteed, as Jokowi’s popularity and influence may wane once he is out of office in October.
(Additional Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Kay Johnson and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
