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PDI-P maintains close ties, sees future with Gerindra
Although it will be a while before the 2024 presidential election begins, the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Gerindra Party have again demonstrated close relations that may set the foundation for their future coalition
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span>Although it will be a while before the 2024 presidential election begins, the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Gerindra Party have again demonstrated close relations that may set the foundation for their future coalition.
As the Constitution prevents President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo from running for a third term, the 2024 election will give political parties the opportunity to nominate their own members or support other prospective candidates.
PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri has kept close ties with Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto. She helped the former Army general who ran against Jokowi in last year’s election to reconcile with his former rival and join the government. Prabowo is also frequently seen at many PDI-P events.
The latest was on Friday, in which both attended the inauguration of a statue of Sukarno, the country’s first president and Megawati’s father, at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java.
Also in attendance were other party figures or those close to Megawati, including her daughter House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani, State Intelligence Agency chief Budi Gunawan, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and Army chief of staff Gen. Andika Perkasa.
PDI-P executive Hendrawan Supratikno told The Jakarta Post the party was maintaining a relationship for “future cooperation” with Gerindra. “It is indeed fostered and maintained through cooperation in the regional elections, in the legislature and in the Cabinet,” he said.
Hendrawan said discussions about a possible coalition for the 2024 election might be too early, but the PDI-P had prepared potential presidential and vice-presidential candidates of various backgrounds and political parties.
“There are already more than 20 [possible candidates],” he said.
Without the presence of an incumbent, political parties and presidential hopefuls are already looking at forming coalitions for 2024. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, who was previously touted as a potential contender in the 2019 election, is again being labeled a strong contender and has garnered support from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the only apparent opposition to the government.
Jokowi himself has propped up former Jakarta deputy governor and businessman Sandiaga Uno, mentioning him as his “potential successor” during an event organized by the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) last month.
Hipmi is known for its ties with Golkar, a major supporter of Jokowi and party run under the supervision of his senior aide, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan.
Megawati, Puan and Prabowo have on numerous occasions shared photos and posted them on social media. Perhaps the most memorable one was taken on the sidelines of Jokowi’s second-term inauguration ceremony in October.
Puan uploaded a photo of her, Megawati and Prabowo. With the photo, the House speaker wrote a caption saying she was “grateful” that Prabowo was appointed defense minister.
Voxpol Center for Research and Consulting executive director Pangi Syarwi Chaniago said the possibility of Prabowo and Puan running together for the 2024 election was in line with Megawati’s political pledge in 2009, also known as the Batu Tulis pact, in which Megawati promised to support Prabowo as a presidential candidate in the 2014 election.
The pledge was broken when the PDI-P eventually nominated the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla pair. The 2024 election, Pangi said, would provide a chance for Megawati to make it up to Prabowo.
“Megawati wants to fulfill her political promise that was once broken,” Pangi said.
Denny JA of the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) said Prabowo was a potential presidential candidate for the 2024 race, but there would be more contenders such as Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartarto, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil and Anies.
He said a Prabowo-Puan ticket would face challenges from other contenders.
Indonesia Political Review executive director Ujang Komarudin said the chances of Prabowo running with Puan was more likely than a partnership with Anies, who had maintained close ties with the PKS.
In any case, Prabowo might not want to run again with Sandiaga as the pair lost the 2019 election.
Ujang predicted Anies and Sandiaga would stand in the way as competitors of Prabowo in 2024.
“Sandiaga and Anies are both highly popular and electable. Parties will approach them [as presidential candidates] and it would be a challenge for Prabowo and Puan,” he said.
Ujang said Sandiaga, who is much younger than Prabowo and maintains a strong presence on social media, could benefit from the millennial vote. Despite being registered as a member of Gerindra, he might build up his own presidential campaign outside the party in 2024.
