STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT. President Jokowi accompanied by First Lady Iriana visited the residence of fifth Indonesian president and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri in Jakarta. The Eid gathering is the main agenda, although they also discussed the latest political dynamics following the nomination of Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as the party’s presidential candidate. This was the first meeting between Jokowi and Megawati after Eid. The day before Eid, they met in Batutulis, Bogor, West Java, when Megawati made the announcement about Ganjar’s presidential candidacy.
The United Development Party (PPP) on Wednesday named Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) cadre Ganjar Pranowo as a presidential candidate in the 2024 elections, as decided and announced at the party’s fifth national leadership meeting held in Sleman, Yogyakarta.
Meanwhile, Golkar Party Council Chair Ace Hasan Syadzily did not question PPP’s steps in supporting Ganjar, also emphasizing that the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB), which was built together with PPP and the National Mandate Party (PAN), will not disband.
National Mandate Party (PAN) Chair Zulkifli Hasan said the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) would meet with KIB founding parties, namely PAN, Golkar, and PPP, in attendance. He said that the meeting would take place at the home of Golkar Party Chair Airlangga Hartarto. PAN Deputy Chair Viva Yoga Mauladi had said that after Eid, PAN would convene with the PPP and Golkar to discuss presidential election strategy.
With the top three presidential hopefuls neck and neck in electability polls, the outcome of Indonesia’s 2024 election may hinge on the popularity of each candidate’s running mate. Thin margins of support have seen the candidates in a game of musical chairs of sorts in opinion polls, with no contender wielding dominance like in the previous four elections.
The latest survey involving more than 1,200 respondents across Indonesian provinces in early April put Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, 71, as a front runner with 30.3 percent support. He was followed by Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, 54, with 26.9 percent, the survey by noted Jakarta-based pollster Lembaga Survei Indonesia showed. Former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, 53, had 25.3 percent backing.”
Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto held a series of meetings with former senior Indonesian Military (TNI) generals, including former defense minister Wiranto and former head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) AM Hendropriyono. Prabowo held a meeting with Wiranto at the latter’s private residence in South Jakarta. Emerging from the private meeting, Wiranto gave his endorsement of Prabowo’s plan to run in the 2024 presidential election, saying that he was a well-qualified candidate for the job.
