The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), as the winner in April’s legislative elections, has said that, although it could, it would not race to get the MPR speaker post, thereby opened up the possibility of forming an alliance with Prabowo’s Gerindra Party for leadership of the legislative body.

The MPR is a bicameral assembly that comprises members from both the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD). Although the assembly is not involved much in legislation, it has strategic authorities, including to inaugurate and impeach president and vice president and to amend the Constitution.

PDI-P deputy secretary-general Ahmad Basarah, currently an MPR deputy speaker, said the party was hoping to form an MPR leadership (speaker and deputy speakers) that would include all political parties represented in the House.

“So that there is no longer a Jokowi faction or a Prabowo faction. All are expected to merge into [one package] composition, so that the MPR leadership represents the national political spectrum,” Ahmad said on Thursday.

Unlike the House speakership, which by law goes to the five political parties with most votes in a legislative election, the Legislative Institutions (MD3) Law mandates that the MPR speakership is determined through voting, in which each political party and DPD faction can propose a set of five candidates in a package that will be voted on in the forum.

The regulation makes it possible that there will be more than one package vying for MPR leadership. Currently, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman and House member Zulkifli Hasan is the MPR speaker. Aside from Ahmad of the PDI-P, Mahyudin of the Golkar Party, Hidayat Nur Wahid of the Prosperous Justice Party, Ahmad Muzani of Gerindra, E.E. Mangindaan of the Democratic Party and Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening Party (PKB) serve as deputy speakers.

Muhaimin, also the PKB chairman, has expressed his intention to run for the MPR speaker post. Arguing that the party is the Islam-based party with most votes in the April legislative race, he has asked vice president-elect Ma’ruf Amin to support his bid. Muhaimin and Ma’ruf are both from Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organization in the country.

Muzani, who is also the Gerindra secretary-general, said it was possible for the Prabowo-led party to form an alliance with Jokowi’s allies, especially after Jokowi and Prabowo had met to open up possibilities for the opposition to join the government coalition.

But the party has yet to decide on an alliance and is still in talks with other parties, including the PKB.

“The option is still open. Everything is still in flux,” said Muzani.

Zulkifli of PAN, a supporter of Prabowo’s presidential bid that has since expressed its intention to join the government, said it is also possible that all factions and political parties agree on one MPR speakership package, eliminating any competition in the leadership race.

“We hope to reach a consensus in peace,” he said.

Although garnering enough votes to remain in the House, the PAN is not among the top five parties since the April election and therefore does not have a House leadership post.

PAN, also an Islam-based party, lost the April election to the PKB and the PKS.

PKB executive Jazilul Fawaid said the unity Zulfikli was hoping for was unlikely to happen. “The most likely to happen would be two packages,” Jazilul said.

The PKB itself, he said, still wanted to be in a package together with Golkar, despite that party having stated that it was more worthy to lead the MPR than the PKB as it finished third in the April election.

Golkar deputy secretary-general Ace Hasan Syadzily said the party had told Muhamin and even President Jokowi that a cadre of the party was more appropriate for MPR speakership.

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