The long-standing conflict between the two political bigwigs, which goes back to the early days of Jokowi’s presidency, is looming large over the upcoming election and is believed to have informed political party alliance-building, especially after pollsters predicted that Prabowo and Ganjar would face off in a runoff election.

 

President Jokowi has long had a rocky relationship with the PDI-P matriarch, who is seeking to retain her stranglehold on the nation’s largest party and expand her sphere of influence within both the legislature and executive. Since Megawati nominated Jokowi for the 2014 presidential election, she has sought to create and enforce the perception that he is performing the role of president as a “party official”.

 

Despite the diminutive label, Jokowi has made efforts to consolidate power around him over the years by forming alliances with other top political figures, including Prabowo, who joined his cabinet after the 2019 election. He has also managed to maintain his network of “volunteer” groups and thousands of die-hard supporters throughout his presidency, further strengthening his position vis-à-vis the PDI-P establishment.

The power struggle between the two has deepened as the 2024 election approaches, with the leaders seemingly at odds over the party’s strategy for 2024.