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Analysis: In spite of electoral success, Golkar chairmanship up for grabs
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Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto (front center) poses with the management of the Golkar Party on Jan. 22, 2018, after an extraordinary congress at the party headquarters in Jakarta. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
M
ost political parties automatically extend the term of their chairman if they have performed well in a general election. Yet, this rule does not seem to apply to Golkar, which, under chairman Airlangga Hartarto, saw its tally of votes increase in last month’s legislative election to come second. Although his term is good until December, the race for the chairmanship is already heating up, including calls for an earlier extraordinary congress to settle the issue.
One name that has been touted in the political corridors is incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Although he is not a party member, in Golkar, almost anything is possible. Jokowi, whose approval rating remains high, is seeking a political vehicle for when he steps down in October. Another prominent name is Bahlil Lahadalia, the investment minister, who is seen more as a proxy for Jokowi if he decides not to contest the race.
Going by the current vote count at the General Elections Commission (KPU), Golkar is predicted to come second with more than 15 percent of the vote, just behind the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the winner of the last three general elections. The KPU has until March 21 to announce the results the but most quick-counts by independent institutions have put Golkar at number two, closing the gap with the PDI-P.
Airlangga, who has chaired Golkar since 2017, could rightly claim credit for this success.
He has used his position as Jokowi’s chief economic minister effectively, including by showing loyalty to the President and tapping into his strong popularity. He brought Golkar to endorse the nomination of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in the presidential race, suppressing his own ambition for the coveted post or even for the running mate slot.
He was quick to move in October when Prabowo named 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi’s 36-year old son, as running mate. He invited Gibran to a Golkar leadership meeting and gave him the yellow Golkar shirt.
