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Possible Prabowo-Megawati post-election meeting gains steam
A post-election meeting between president-elect Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri appears to be on the horizon as the largest party in the legislature finds itself in a quandary over how it wants to deal with the rival victory in the presidential election.
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Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chief Megawati Soekarnoputri (center) poses for a picture with her daughter and fellow party politician Puan Maharani (right) and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto (left) during the PDI-P's national congress in Denpasar, Bali, on Aug. 8, 2019. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)
A post-election meeting between president-elect Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri appears to be on the horizon as the largest party in the legislature finds itself in a quandary over how it wants to deal with the rival victory in the presidential election.
The PDI-P scored a hat-trick victory in last month’s legislative election after winning the popular vote for the third time in a row since 2014, despite suffering a bruising defeat in the presidential election, with its candidate Ganjar Pranowo finishing in distant third behind Prabowo.
The PDI-P is projected to win the largest number of seats at the House of Representatives, at 110 out of a total 580 seats, and therefore will likely retain the House speaker seat that holds control over the House's agenda, as regulated in the prevailing law.
While it is currently one of the parties in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s governing coalition, the PDI-P’s relations with the outgoing President have turned sour after Jokowi let his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka run as Prabowo’s vice president.
It has several times hinted at an intention to play an opposition role in the House once a Prabowo-led government is formed later in October.
The PDI-P, however, recently welcomed the possibility of Megawati and Prabowo having a post-election talk, noting that she and the Gerindra Party chairman still maintained good personal relations despite being on opposite sides during the country’s past three general elections.
"There are no problems between Pak Prabowo and Ibu Megawati on a personal level,” PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said on Monday, noting however that they would wait for the ongoing dispute over election results at court to be resolved.
