Opposition is intensifying in response to renewed efforts by government officials and the political elite to scrap direct regional head elections and return to an indirect voting system, with critics warning that such a move would represent a serious regression in Indonesia’s democratic development.

The announcements were made late Thursday after consultations between the government and party factions in the legislature in Jakarta and Bali.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) senior politician Puan Maharani has called on party members to maintain unity and loyalty under the leadership of chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri ahead of its congress, which had been delayed several times this year.

Amid recent calls to undo the direct regional head elections that have been in place for 20 years, law experts have warned political parties and the House against undermining the authority of the Constitutional Court.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi has dismissed growing concerns over President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to the Nusantara capital city project, asserting that the President has no plans for a moratorium and remains fully committed to completing the relocation within three years.

The Jakarta Police have uncovered new information in their ongoing investigation into the death of Foreign Ministry employee Arya Daru Pangayunan and have pledged to soon disclose the mystery surrounding his death.

Culture Minister Fadli Zon has reassured the public that the forthcoming history books “are not hiding anything” as he launched a public campaign on the project despite concerns past human rights abuses may be whitewashed.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto’s bribery conviction has dealt a political blow to the only de facto opposition party and is expected to influence chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri’s stance toward the administration of President Prabowo Subianto.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating alleged graft in the then-education, culture, research and technology ministry’s procurement of Google Cloud services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PDI-P, the country’s largest party in the House and the only major party that has not joined President Prabowo Subianto’s ruling coalition, has claimed the probe of its secretary-general is politically motivated.

Political parties are calling on President Prabowo Subianto to begin utilizing the country’s future capital city Nusantara in East Kalimantan as a show of commitment, amid mounting concerns that continued indecision could push the megaproject to the wayside.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) has revived calls to end direct regional elections, proposing instead that regional heads be appointed by the central government or elected by local legislatures, an idea President Prabowo Subianto previously floated.

As many Islamic-based political parties struggle with declining influence, the National Awakening Party (PKB) enters its 27th year with renewed focus on positioning itself as a solution to the nation’s pressing problems amid global economic uncertainty.

Former trade minister Thomas Lembong has filed an appeal of his prison sentence in a corruption conviction related to his sugar import policy when serving under then-president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo from 2015 to 2016.

The former president director of Bank BJB, Yuddy Renaldi, has been named a suspect in a second corruption case, this time involving a Rp 350 billion (US$21.48 million) loan to the now-bankrupt textile giant PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex). 

The military will begin manufacturing medicines for public distribution under a new agreement, officials said on Tuesday, in the latest expansion of the armed forces' role in civilian affairs since President Prabowo Subianto took office.

Calls are growing for President Prabowo Subianto to stop delegitimizing civil society movements through unfounded accusations, with pro-democracy activists warning that such behavior reflects authoritarian characteristics and threatens democratic norms.

In a video uploaded on his personal TikTok account @zstorm689 on Sunday, Satria apologized to President Prabowo Subianto, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Foreign Minister Sugiono for his “ignorance in signing a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry”.

The trial of Thomas Lembong, a former trade minister who had later supported opposition figure Anies Baswedan in the 2024 presidential election, has failed to establish any criminal intent or evidence of corruption, according to experts.    

The Immigration Office has tracked corruption suspect Muhammad Riza Chalid to Malaysia, where he is believed to be staying at present, as the AGO prepares a summons for questioning in connection with the high-profile Pertamina case, though some experts say the government could do more to drag him back home.

Pressure is mounting on President Prabowo Subianto’s administration to remove more than two dozen deputy ministers from their roles as commissioners of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) after the Constitutional Court maintained its position that cabinet members can not hold dual appointments.

The pro-government NasDem Party has called on President Prabowo Subianto’s administration to make a firm decision on the fate of Nusantara, the country’s planned new capital, urging the government to either issue a decree to formalize the relocation or pause the project temporarily amid fiscal constraints.

The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) wrapped up its first congress with a major rebrand that saw the reelection of chairman Kaesang Pangarep and crucial support from his father, former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, as it seeks to build momentum toward the 2029 legislative elections.

The new logo features an elephant to reflect strength and courage, accompanied by the party’s initials and the phrase "Partai Super Tbk" (Super Open Party) coined by former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Judges with the Jakarta Corruption Court found former trade minister Thomas Lembong guilty of violating regulations by authorizing raw sugar imports that involved several private companies between 2015 and 2016.

Victims of unlawful arrest and police brutality have spoken out about the failure of the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) to protect citizens’ rights, urging lawmakers to address these flaws in the ongoing, rushed deliberation to revise the code.

The government has decided to hold this year’s Independence Day celebration in Jakarta, despite President Prabowo Subianto's earlier pledge to mark the occasion in the future capital of Nusantara, raising fresh questions about the long-term commitment to his predecessor’s flagship project.