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Playing kingmaker, playing with democracy
To play an overly intrusive role in deciding the next president signal a troubling trend of a meddling president who does not believe that the democratic political process in the country can run without them.
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Up close and personal: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) speaks with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri (center) as the party’s presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo looks on during the PDI-P national meeting in Jakarta on June 6, 2023. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
Should outgoing presidents decide who will replace them? President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo seems to think so. He openly admitted to playing an active kingmaking role in paving the way for presidential candidates, hinting that he aims to ensure the continuation of development programs happening under his administration. To this end, his legacy will remain even after his retirement.
Is this a good or bad practice for a democracy?
To answer this question, it is important to first unpack what Jokowi has done. In his act of cawe-cawe, a Javanese expression meaning to help finish a job, Jokowi signals endorsement for certain presidential candidates and reportedly nominates his preferred vice presidential candidates to political parties and presidential candidates.
He still tries to consolidate political power by holding meetings among political parties, purposefully excluding parties that support a candidate whom he disagrees with. At the same time, his gravity-defying popularity means his endorsement potentially bolsters the electability of whichever candidates he will openly support (Burhanuddin Muhtadi, 2023).
This provides Jokowi with a valuable bargaining chip: He can exchange his endorsement for support for his legacy projects, including the development of the new capital city in East Kalimantan.
While it may seem understandable that an outgoing leader would want to ensure that their legacy stands, it is a risky business. Exchanging support for endorsement can create a patron-client relationship with the next president.
The outgoing president can think that the new president is in debt with them after receiving their endorsement. This can create a sense of entitlement where the outgoing presidents think they still should have a say in the decision-making process for their legacy projects after leaving office.
