During a meeting with party leaders of the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM)-Plus at Prabowo’s mansion in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Feb. 14, the President floated the idea of making the coalition permanent to see its agenda through. Given the public feedback, which has been critical of his government, it looks reasonable for Prabowo to seek full support from his allies.

Jokowi began his presidency in 2014 on shaky ground as the opposition dominated the House of Representatives. But as time went by, he consolidated power by bringing his enemies into his coalition. As he stepped down in October of last year, he bequeathed to Prabowo a big coalition that promised stability in exchange for policy continuity.

SBY also enjoyed a majority supporting him in the legislature, but that did not prevent opposition from within, as evinced by the choice of key coalition members, the Golkar Party and Prosperous Justice Party, to support a House investigation into alleged misappropriation of Century Bank bailout funds.

If Prabowo’s “permanent” coalition materializes, it will ward off some of the nightmarish political battles Jokowi and SBY endured in office. Barring a mutiny, the support of 80 percent of House lawmakers will ensure that Prabowo is able to enact his flagship programs.

If Prabowo manages this feat with the backing of the KIM-Plus coalition, he can make the case for reelection in 2029, with or without Gibran Rakabuming Raka as his running mate. The permanent coalition will help Prabowo, who is also chairman of the Gerindra Party, keep his electability rating high until voting day.

Now that the Constitutional Court has abolished the presidential threshold, Prabowo may be worried about the coalition leaving him high and dry if his policies are opposed by the public, so having a permanent one in place might be a way to ensure the KIM-Plus parties stay loyal.

Gerindra has officially declared that it will nominate Prabowo for the 2029 presidential race, but its top executives have denied speculation that the reelection bid is behind the formation of the permanent coalition.

While the permanent coalition could be a strong foundation for political stability and government strength, the move could also limit the space for healthy political dynamics, where dissenting opinions and unique ideas can thrive within the country’s democracy.

Indeed, there are indications that the current government, like the previous one, does not like criticism and even attempts to silence some more strident voices. During the Gerindra Party’s recent 17^th anniversary celebrations, Prabowo used the derogatory Javanese expression ndhasmu (your head) against those who criticized the size of his cabinet.

Some of Prabowo’s aides have also derided the #IndonesiaGelap movement, which took shape in student rallies across the country opposing government policies, although at one point State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi came out to listen to the protestors’ concerns.

It is clear the demonstrations reflect the grievances of the people, many of whom voted for Prabowo in the 2024 election. Through their protests, the students seem to be telling Prabowo to build a coalition with the people for long-term prosperity rather than with the political elites for short-term spoils.

Instead of establishing a permanent coalition with political parties, Prabowo should focus on realizing the campaign promises outlined in his Asta Cita (eight goals) platform, which include upholding democracy and human rights, food and energy security, poverty alleviation, job creation, environmental conservation and corruption eradication.

President Prabowo traveled around the globe before and after his inauguration. Now it’s time for him to spend more time here, meeting the people he is sworn to aid and listening to their wishes.

Public trust will give Prabowo much more legitimacy than loyalty pledges from his allies.