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View all search resultsPrabowo’s reshuffle bring ties with Jokowi back into focus
The latest cabinet reshuffle has placed ties between President Prabowo Subianto and his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo under renewed scrutiny, as the President appears to try preventing potential political rivals from building influence outside the government.
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President Prabowo Subianto (front right) and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (front left) congratulate and shake hands on Oct. 1, 2026, with incoming Cabinet members following a reshuffle, at the State Palace in Central Jakarta. (Antara/Galih Pradipta)
T
he latest cabinet reshuffle has placed ties between President Prabowo Subianto and his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo under renewed scrutiny, with analysts noting that the President is trying to prevent potential political rivals from building influence outside the government.
Prabowo announced the shake-up last Thursday and Friday in major changes that strengthened representation for several pro-government parties and brought more than two dozen figures from diverse backgrounds into the executive orbit through the Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres) weeks before his administration reaches its two-year mark.
The reshuffle also notably repositioned several names associated with his key political backer, Jokowi. Among them were police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who was reassigned to presidential chief of staff, and coordinating human development minister Pratikno, who was appointed to a new post as Wantimpres chairman.
Muhammad Qodari, another prominent ally of Jokowi with a background in political polling, was also reassigned from his position as head of the Government Communications Agency (Bakom) to Wantimpres secretary.
Analyst Yoes Kenawas from pollster Lembaga Survei Indonesia (LSI) said the changes suggested Prabowo was strengthening his grip on the administration while preventing potential political rivals from building influence.
“This was not a complete purge of Jokowi’s people. Rather, it marks the beginning of a transition, with Prabowo gradually building his own team and placing people he trusts in more key positions, while keeping figures associated with Jokowi within his political orbit,” Yoes said on Saturday.
“Prabowo certainly does not want to create an opposition too early. If Jokowi were suddenly pushed aside and took on the role of opposition, that would become a dangerous threat,” he said. “So this is about keeping potential rivals within the reach of Prabowo’s camp to prevent them from consolidating outside the government.”
