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Jokowi’s cabinet reshuffle plan puts transition to Prabowo’s presidency at risk
Outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s reported plan for a cabinet reshuffle, one that might see his former party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) ousted, is unlikely to happen as analysts warn it would destabilize the transition to his successor's incoming government.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (fourth right), accompanied by Vice President Ma’ruf Amin (third right), leads a limited cabinet meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Sept. 27, 2023. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
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utgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s reported plan for cabinet reshuffle, one that might see his former party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), ousted, is unlikely to happen as analysts warn it would destabilize the transition to his successor's incoming government.
Speculation about a possible reshuffle emerged after Jokowi reportedly gathered party leaders of the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM), an electoral alliance backing president-elect Prabowo Subianto, at the Presidential Palace in late May.
Leaders of some major parties in Prabowo’s coalition, such as Airlangga Hartarto of the Golkar Party, have admitted that they met with Jokowi but insisted that the meeting was primarily focused on ensuring the continuation of Jokowi’s programs under Prabowo’s incoming government. Zulkifli Hasan of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said they mainly talked about regional elections in November and inflation.
In a report last week, news outlet Tempo.co cited several unnamed sources who claimed that Jokowi was considering replacing ministers who were unsupportive of his programs this month. The sources said, however, some party leaders told Jokowi that a cabinet reshuffle was unnecessary as his final and second term would end in October.
Jokowi himself last week denied that he had discussed a reshuffle with the party leaders.
But speculation of a cabinet meeting grew stronger after Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie, a staunch supporter of Jokowi, said later last week that the possibility of Jokowi revamping his cabinet nearing the end of his presidency remained open.
Budi neither confirmed nor denied when asked whether Jokowi was planning to remove ministers from the PDI-P, which has grown more critical of his government, only acknowledging that there had been complaints about the performance of some ministers who no longer have “great fighting spirit” in supporting Jokowi’s programs.
