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Why nominating Gibran as VP is bad for Jokowi
Many believe that a more natural and logical next step for Gibran would be to run for governor of Central Java or even Jakarta.
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Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka (right), President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son, chats on July 24, 2023, with (from left to right) Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir at the lounge of Adi Soemarmo Airport in Boyolali, Central Java. (Antara/Press Bureau of Presidential Secretariat )
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should interfere in Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto’s plan to choose the President’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his running mate in the Feb. 14, 2024, presidential election.
Gibran, 35, who is a new kid on the block of politics, still needs to learn the ropes and prove wrong the critics who only see him as a product of Jokowi’s political dynasty. Within six years, he could possibly emulate his father's mercurial rise.
The Surakarta mayor stands a good chance of becoming a serious contender in the 2029 presidential election, when he is 42. Giving in to the temptation of power by accepting the offer to run for vice president could be disastrous for his young political career.
The Constitutional Court may have no reason to turn down a judicial review motion filed against the minimum age limit for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, which the prevailing law sets at 40 years. President Jokowi can spare his son from harm.
The President must prove his statesmanship and ignore familial ties by publicly telling Gibran to fully concentrate on developing Surakarta, Central Java or another province if he contests the regional election in November next year. The message should be crystal clear and straightforward.
Many believe that a more natural and logical next step for Gibran would be to run for governor of Central Java or even Jakarta. Jokowi contested the Jakarta election in 2012 after becoming a two-time mayor of Surakarta, then seizing the highest office in 2014.
Many people believe the fact that Gibran is Jokowi’s son is the prime reason behind Prabowo's offer. Prabowo, who is also the chairman of the Gerindra Party, might be impressed by Gibran’s achievements as mayor, but the Jokowi effect must be the number one consideration. Prabowo has of course benefited from this effect: His electability rating has steadily increased thanks to his proximity to the President over the past few months.
