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Analysis: PDI-P still wavering ahead of congress
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Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Megawati Soekarnoputri speaks with (ki-ka) Chairwoman of Political and Security Affairs Puan Maharani and Chair of the UMKM, Creative Economy and Economics Division of Prananda Prabowo in the Determination of Regional Candidate Pair of Regional Heads in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 19 2020. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) officially establishes 49 pairs of candidates for district / city and 1 provincial level to advance in the Regional Election in 2020. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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he Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has been wavering for months between joining the coalition government of President Prabowo Subianto or playing the role of opposition, loyal or otherwise, in the House of Representatives. When it holds its congress in April, it is not clear whether it will have made up its mind.
Matron Megawati Soekarnoputri remains unchallenged and confident that the congress will reelect her by acclamation as party chair. But the real power struggle is taking place between her daughter Puan Maharani and son Prananda Prabowo, not so much over the succession issue, which is not in the cards, but more about the direction the party should take.
Puan, who is the speaker of the House, leads the faction in the party that wants to collaborate with President Prabowo’s administration, if not join the coalition. Half-brother Prananda, active in the party advising their mother on ideological matters, leads the camp that wants to keep its distance, if not take a harder line against the government.
Which path the party will take will become clearer during the congress, when Megawati will make her choice for the new secretary-general, the second most powerful job in the party after the chair. Incumbent Hasto Kristiyanto is currently on trial for corruption and all evidence suggests he will not win the case, and he will have to quit the job if he goes to jail.
Some names have surfaced as candidates for the job, including three PDI-P legislators Utut Adianto, Said Abdullah and Ahmad Basarah and Andi Wijayanto, a prominent military analyst. Megawati as chair will have the sole power to pick the secretary-general, but both Puan and Prananda will likely lobby for their individual preferences.
The PDI-P won the most votes and hence the most seats in the legislative elections in February 2024, but its candidate Ganjar Pranowo lost the presidential bid. The PDI-P is the only party in the House that is not part of the coalition government, and the 110 of 580 House seats it controls are hardly sufficient to combat Prabowo’s legislative agenda. The party, for example, did not put up a fight during the current deliberation of legislation that would allow military officers to take up civilian jobs.
Standing in the way of the PDI-P accepting the standing invitation to join the coalition is the presence of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who looms large in the Prabowo administration.
