As the nation’s political spectrum is shaking up ahead of the simultaneous regional elections next year, pressure is on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to ensure that stability remains conducive to fulfill his ambitious programs, less than two years before his tenure ends.

In the near future, the President will likely make a change to his Cabinet following Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa’s announcement that she will run for East Java governor.

Under the 2016 Regional Election Law, it is not mandatory for a minister, who is running to be a regional leader, to give up his or her Cabinet post.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, however, recently warned that such a Cabinet member must resign to allow him or her to focus on campaigning to maintain the neutrality of the administration.

Khofifah’s presence in the Cabinet is widely seen to represent Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). She is the head of NU’s women wing, the Muslimat NU.

Siti Zuhro, a political expert from the Indonesia Institute of Science, said Jokowi would retain a NU representative in the Cabinet to help secure votes for his 2019 re-election bid.

“Jokowi will likely choose a figure that can bring him huge support [for 2019]. A [NU] figure is a possibility for that [the position],” she said on Monday.

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