JakartaGlobe-March 24
Prabowo Subianto, the projected winner of the February 14 presidential election, is poised to take the reins from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo whose unifying cabinet has become the standard bearers for maintaining political stability and ensuring the smooth implementation of impactful — albeit occasionally controversial — programs without facing parliamentary hurdles. In the inauguration scheduled for October 20, Prabowo will succeed a president whose current approval rating remains stubbornly above 80 percent, according to numerous polls. Speaking at an event last August, Prabowo revealed that he had accepted the offer to unite all resources for the country’s best interests. This reconciliatory approach ensured that Prabowo’s Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), then the second-largest party in the House of Representatives, joined the pro-government coalition. The alliance formed a formidable majority, controlling over 80 percent of House seats. Even before this, Jokowi had strategically appointed Airlangga Hartarto, chairman of the Golkar Party with the third-largest share in House seats, as the industry minister midway through his first presidential term. Airlangga was subsequently promoted to the position of chief economic minister in 2019. A political analyst has cautioned that selecting cabinet members based on power distribution among coalition members rather than professional capabilities could have adverse consequences for the future president. Read more at: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/prabowo-looks-certain-to-protect-status-quo-for-political-stability
