(Bloomberg) — Two of Indonesia’s presidential contenders are in intensive talks to form an alliance to beat frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, showing how policy differences come second to winning in the race to lead Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
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In recent weeks, officials backing former Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan discreetly met several times to discuss a possible pact. That may include intensifying their campaigning in areas dominated by Prabowo in an attempt to dilute his votes and force a runoff election, according to people from both camps who declined to be named as the matter is sensitive.
Under the proposed alliance, Ganjar or Baswedan — who is campaigning on an opposing policy platform — will endorse each other should the Feb. 14 election go to a runoff in June. The defense minister is now leading opinion polls by a wide margin in his third bid for the presidency, with Ganjar and Baswedan trailing behind.
Any alliance between Ganjar and Baswedan would only be firmed up should there be a runoff election, the people said. The talks have progressed to the point where both parties are already discussing how to divide cabinet seats should either one become the next president.
Baswedan declined to elaborate on any talks to form the alliance in an interview with Bloomberg News on Tuesday, but he didn’t rule out the possibility.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves — we don’t know the result yet,” he said ahead of a campaign event on the eastern island of Sulawesi. “We are focused on Feb. 14. We want to get as much support as possible.”
Representatives for Ganjar’s camp didn’t respond to requests for comment. On Jan. 9, Ganjar himself told reporters “everything is possible” when asked about rumors of the talks that had been circulating in local media for days.
Jokowi’s Influence
While the target is painted on Prabowo, the pact is more an attempt to prevent President Joko Widodo from extending his policymaking influence through his eldest son who is Prabowo’s running mate, the people said.
The talks picked up pace after Jan. 5 when Jokowi, as the incumbent leader is popularly known, was photographed having a one-on-one dinner with Prabowo, they said. That dinner, coupled with earlier meetings he had with the defense minister since late 2022, have signaled that the president has thrown his support behind Prabowo, alarming people in the two rival camps and cementing their view that Jokowi is working behind the scenes to secure Prabowo’s victory, the people said.
Less than a day after the dinner, Jokowi started inviting top members from political parties supporting Prabowo to the presidential palace where they discussed the election, the leader told local media.
Favored Contender
While Jokowi hasn’t openly endorsed any candidate, his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka becoming Prabowo’s running mate has led to the defense minister being widely seen as the president’s favored contender. Gibran’s path to becoming the nation’s youngest-ever vice-presidential candidate was paved by a Constitutional Court ruling presided by Jokowi’s brother-in-law, who was later dishonorably removed from his post over the decision.
Indonesia is less than a month away from its election when over 204 million eligible voters will choose a leader to oversee the $1.3 trillion economy. The next leader will take over from Jokowi who’s wrapping up his final term after nearly a decade in power. It’s likely to be a long election season — if none of the three candidates secure at least half of the vote, there will be a runoff in June.
–With assistance from Philip J. Heijmans.
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Abhinav Thawait is a globe-trotting correspondent with a passion for international affairs. With a background in international relations, he offers a global perspective on the most pressing issues around the world. Abhinav’s curiosity takes his to the far corners of the earth, where he seeks to share untold stories and diverse viewpoints.
