Prabowo has been on a marathon of meetings in the past few days in what experts say are efforts to seek the blessings of pro-government parties. He met with Jokowi on Friday, Nasdem Party chairman Surya Paloh on Sunday and National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar on Monday. He is also scheduled to meet with Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto.

While on the surface the ruling coalition seems stronger than ever, an undercurrent of tension remains within the ranks.

Jokowi appears to be at odds with his own Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) regarding issues such as the recently revised Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law and the plans for a constitutional amendment.

Meanwhile, relations between Surya and PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri have seemingly soured since the election results were declared in June.

Adding to the mix are the National Mandate Party and the Democratic Party — both previously supporting Prabowo in April’s elections — that are also eyeing to join the coalition.

On Sunday, Prabowo visited Surya’s house in Permata Hijau, South Jakarta, in what party officials described as a silaturahmi (friendly visit).

Both Prabowo and Surya denied they had discussed the possibility of Gerindra joining the coalition but said they had found “common ground”. “We have known each other and been friends for a long time,” Prabowo told reporters after the meeting. “Sometimes we are different, sometimes we oppose [each other], but we are both united in our love of the country.”

Surya echoed Prabowo’s statement. “Prabowo and I are one,” he said. “We want our continuing friendship to be a great foundation to build this nationhood.”

After losing the presidential election, Prabowo — and by extension, Gerindra — has become closer and closer to the Jokowi administration; first meeting with the President in a highly orchestrated affair at the Lebak Bulus MRT station in early July, then visiting Megawati at her house later that month.

While both Jokowi and the PDI-P have expressed their openness to Gerindra joining the government, NasDem has been vocally opposed to additions to the ruling coalition.

The hints showed that it was almost certain that Gerindra would join the government coalition, political communications expert from Paramadina University, Hendri Satrio, said.

“As we can see, yesterday [on Sunday] Prabowo met with Surya Paloh, before that he met with Megawati and tonight he will meet [Muhaimin]. It’s like a roadshow. Since Gerindra seems likely to receive a Cabinet position, Prabowo may be looking for the blessing of the other coalition parties,” he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Indonesia Political Review executive director Ujang Komarudin said Prabowo was trying to lessen the resistance of other parties to Gerindra joining the coalition. “As a big party, Gerindra’s presence might displace the position of middling parties, such NasDem and the PKB, which is why they have opposed to additions to the coalition,” he told the Post. “That’s why Prabowo has attempted to lobby and approach the party leaders.”

On Monday, Jokowi held an unscheduled meeting with National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Zulkifli Hasan, whose party was previously in the government coalition but jumped ship to support Prabowo in the presidential election.

Besides Gerindra and PAN, the Democratic Party has also moved closer to the government, with party chairman and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meeting with Jokowi last week to talk about the possibility of the party joining the Cabinet.

Democratic Party officials have previously expressed their objection to a constitutional amendment, while also expressing their support for a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to revoke the controversial revision of the KPK Law.

Following the recent nationwide student protests, Jokowi had said he would consider issuing a Perppu to reverse the revision, which experts and activists say would severely diminish the antigraft body’s independence and effectiveness.

The idea of a Perppu was not received well by his coalition parties, with PDI-P secretary-general Hasto saying the party was against its issuance.

“A Perppu is not a political option,” Hasto said earlier this month.

Hendri said by opening the door to noncoalition parties, Jokowi may be seeking to increase his leverage within his own coalition on a number of key issues, such as the Perppu, amendment, state budget and the plan to move the capital.

If Gerindra, PAN and the Democratic Party all join, the government coalition will include eight out of the nine parties in the House, with only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which holds 8.7 percent of House seats, in opposition.

Hendri said an overpowered ruling coalition would be good for the President but bad for the country, as it could result in a lack of checks and balances for the government.

However, he added that a big coalition now did not necessarily mean sustained support for Jokowi throughout his second term.

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