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Gerindra ramps up alliance talks amid rumored rivalry with Golkar
A potential rift between Golkar Party and Gerindra Party, the second- and third-largest party in the incoming House of Representatives, may threaten the efficacy of Prabowo Subianto's presidency, analysts say.
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National Awakening Party (PKB) chair Muhaimin Iskandar (second right) talks with NasDem Party chair Surya Paloh (second right), Gerindra Party executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad (right) and PKB deputy chair Jazilul Fawaid (left) during the PKB's 26th anniversary ceremony in Jakarta on July 23, 2024. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
T
he Gerindra Party is intensifying efforts to persuade former rivals in the February general election to join the ruling coalition, a move seen as an attempt to create a political safety net for president-elect Prabowo Subianto amid a rumored rivalry with the Golkar Party, the nation’s largest party and a key member of the coalition supporting Prabowo.
The president-elect has expressed his desire to reach out to rivals to assemble a “grand coalition”, as the four major parties backing him – Gerindra, the Democratic Party, Golkar and the National Mandate Party (PAN) – fell short of a majority in the House of Representatives, with a collective 46 percent of legislative seats.
Recently, Gerindra, a nationalist party led by Prabowo, extended an open invitation to the Islam-based National Awakening Party (PKB) on behalf of the president-elect to join his incoming administration, claiming the country needed political parties to come together.
While announcing its intensified discussions with the PKB, Gerindra executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad also said the party was open to the possibility of inviting the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), another Islam-based party, to a future governing coalition.
“There have also been aspirations expressed both from outside and inside that it would be better that we also invite the PKS,” Dasco said.
Both the PKB and PKS belonged to a three-way alliance with the NasDem Party that backed the presidential candidacy of former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and his running mate, PKB chairman Muhaimin Iskandar. The pair lost to Prabowo and Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the February election.
Read also: Gerindra courts PKB for incoming government
