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U-20 fiasco to hurt Ganjar more than PDI-P, analysts say
PDI-P has strong and loyal support base: SMRC.
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A show of support: Incumbent Central Java governor candidate Ganjar Pranowo (center) greets his supporters during an open campaign event in Tegal, Central Java, in this photo file. (Antara/Oky Lukmansyah)
C
entral Java Ganjar Pranowo will likely take an electoral hit from the removal of Indonesia as host of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which angry soccer fans say was due to his refusal to have the Israeli team in the global sporting event, analysts say.
Indonesia was officially stripped of its right to host the U-20 last Wednesday, shortly after Ganjar and Bali Governor I Wayan Koster, both members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), publicly voiced their opposition to the Israeli participation in the global soccer event, citing Indonesia’s historical and ideological opposition to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
While the Islamist opposition to the Israeli participation in the event emerged soon after the Middle Eastern country qualified for the tournament last year, it was only after Koster and Ganjar, whose provinces had agreed to host some of the U-20 matches, that FIFA took the anti-Israeli sentiment in the country seriously.
Angry players and fans took to social media to air their frustration, with critical comments directed primarily at the two PDI-P politicians.
“Observing how netizens are airing their anger toward Ganjar after the cancellation of the tournament, there is a possibility that this will affect his electability negatively,” Agung Baskoro, executive director of Trias Strategis Politika, said.
“Whether Ganjar will see a significant dip in his electability ratings, however, remains to be seen. But if that happens, his supporters will have reconsidered their choice and opted for an alternative figure that seems to share his nationalist credentials,” he said. Gerindra Party leader Prabowo Subianto, one of the potential presidential candidates endorsed by Jokowi, could be an alternative to Ganjar, he added.
Much criticism was also levelled at the PDI-P, which claimed to have notified the Joko “Jokowi” Widodo administration about its objections to Israeli’s presence in the U-20 World Cup. However, the party will likely survive the current backlash, according to Saidiman Ahmad, a researcher of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC).
