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Cabinet talks put strain on Jokowi’s ruling coalition
President Jokowi has signaled to welcome all parties in a reconciliatory gesture after the polarizing election.
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo delivers his speech on Sunday after the General Election Commission (KPU) announces that he has become president-elect in Jakarta. He was accompanied by vice-president-elect Ma'ruf Amin (second from left). (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
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ow that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has secured a second term in office, parties are jostling for positions in his coalition, which may grow bigger than it already is as foes want to be friends.
The political parties that backed Jokowi in the presidential election may now have to make room for former allies of Jokowi’s challenger Prabowo Subianto, as the President has signaled to welcome them in a reconciliatory gesture after the polarizing election.
Prabowo’s coalition has officially broken up following the camp’s defeat at the Constitutional Court, but so far, only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has asserted its commitment to remain in the opposition.
It was still unclear whether other Prabowo allies — the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Democratic Party — would remain in opposition to Jokowi’s administration, especially as reports emerged that the three parties had been in negotiations to join the government.
NasDem, one of Jokowi’s supporting parties, expressed its objection on Tuesday, with party secretary-general Johnny G. Plate saying the parties in the losing coalition should be consistent and retain their position as opposition parties, especially after the hard-fought election battle that saw Jokowi’s rivals make false claims against his government.
“Why should [opposition parties] join us when they lost?” Johnny said, adding “Jokowi needs the solid and tested coalition that has been the same since the beginning, not a new one.”
“New members could be a negative factor for the strong coalition [Jokowi has] and could weaken us,” he said.
