Indonesia’s largest political party, the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), nominated a cabinet minister for the Jakarta governor race on Wednesday.
This move effectively ends the possibility of Anies Baswedan, a former governor and vocal government critic, running for the position.
Political Turmoil And Protests
The nomination comes after a week of intense political drama and protests in Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy. The controversy centred around President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s efforts to consolidate power before leaving office. One significant aspect involved a proposed revision to election laws that many believed would favour his youngest son while sidelining Anies Baswedan.
Due to widespread outcry, the Indonesian parliament decided to cancel the proposed legal revisions last week. This cancellation initially opened the door for the potential nomination of Anies by PDIP. However, instead of supporting Anies, the party chose to nominate Pramono Anung, the current cabinet secretary. PDIP cited Pramono’s extensive political experience as the reason for their decision, although they did not elaborate on why Anies was not selected.
Anies Baswedan’s Position Weakened
Anies Baswedan served as the popular governor of Jakarta from 2017 to 2022 and was a losing candidate in this year’s presidential election. The recent developments leave him without any significant political backing, as a coalition of 13 government-aligned parties has already registered former West Java governor Ridwan Kamil as their candidate. Anies, who is not affiliated with any political party, has thus lost his main avenue to return to a prominent political position. He has not yet commented on the situation.
The Jakarta Governorship: A Stepping Stone To Power
The role of Jakarta governor is highly influential in Indonesian politics. It was previously held by President Jokowi himself and is often seen as a stepping stone to the presidency. Recent surveys, including one conducted this month, showed Anies leading the Jakarta race by an 8-point margin. However, with Pramono Anung now in the running, the dynamics of the contest have shifted.
Pramono’s nomination has added to the backlash against President Jokowi, who is perceived as trying to strengthen his political base before stepping down in October. During his presidential campaign, Anies accused the Jokowi administration of unfairly intervening in the election through widespread pork-barrelling, an accusation the government denied. Anies later unsuccessfully contested the election results in court.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
