JAKARTA: Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto has edged closer to securing a parliamentary majority after a significant political party, previously aligned with his rival candidate, pledged its support for his administration, providing a boost to his coalition-building efforts.
NasDem, which garnered 10% of the vote in February’s legislative election, announced its readiness to extend “full support” to the incoming administration during a meeting between its chief, Surya Paloh, and Prabowo. While the party did not explicitly state its intention to join the coalition, NasDem had previously backed Prabowo’s rival, Anies Baswedan, the former Jakarta governor.
Prabowo, a seasoned political veteran who secured victory alongside the son of popular president Joko Widodo, emerged triumphant in the election by a significant margin on his third attempt. Scheduled to assume office in October, Prabowo has been engaged in intensive discussions aimed at assembling a parliamentary coalition to facilitate the implementation of his economic and social policies in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
Addressing the need for unity among political elites to propel the country forward, Defence Minister Prabowo emphasized the importance of collective action during a meeting with Surya on Wednesday. “We agreed to work together for the interests of Indonesians as much as possible,” he stated.
With Prabowo’s current alliance accounting for 48% of seats in the incoming parliament, NasDem’s support has the potential to tip the balance in favor of a majority. Prabowo’s coalition-building efforts received further encouragement as he met with the chief of another party that had previously endorsed Anies, with the party expressing willingness to collaborate with the new government, albeit without committing to joining the alliance.
Meanwhile, Prabowo’s Gerinda party has signaled its intention to engage in discussions with political heavyweight Megawati Sukarnoputri, the leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the largest party in the new parliament which had backed a different presidential candidate.
