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Kaesang takes over PSI leadership days after joining the party
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Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chairman Giring Ganesha (second left, front) and PSI board of trustees deputy chair Grace Natalie (right) symbolically presents the party's membership card to Kaesang Pangarep (third right), President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo's youngest son, during an event on Sept. 23, 2023 at the Widodo family’s residence in Surakarta, Central Java. (Antara/Mohammad Ayudha)
After joining the party only a few days ago, Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, is now officially the new chairman of the Indonesia Solidarity Party (PSI).
During the party’s national meeting (Kopdarnas) in Central Jakarta on Monday night, the PSI named Kaesang, who at 28 is still a novice in Indonesian politics, as the party’s new chair. In a symbolic handover of the party’s leadership, former chair Giring Ganesha presented a bouquet of roses, the party’s symbol, to Kaesang, cementing his place as party chair until 2028.
“I want my generation to be more involved in public administration. I believe that going into politics is one of the ways for the youth to save our future,” Kaesang said in his speech.
Admitting that his inspiration to join politics was his own father, Kaesang, who was dressed in a checkered shirt similar to those Jokowi wore during his presidential campaigns, said he wanted to continue the “good work” done by the previous generation.
Kaesang was previously presented as a PSI member on Saturday at Jokowi’s private residence in his hometown of Surakarta, Central Java.
Commenting on his decision to join the PSI over the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), of which his father, older brother and brother-in-law are members, Kaesang said that he purposefully joined a “small party” because he wanted to carve out his own legacy
“I was interested in joining the PSI exactly because it is not represented yet in the national legislature. I want to fight with everybody here, so that in 2024, the PSI can become a big party and secure seats in the House of Representatives,” he said.
