PDI-P Decision to Back Ganjar Can Change Alliance

The electoral alliances among political parties for the 2024 presidential election is expected to change afterPDI-P decided to back Ganjar Pranowo as its presidential candidate. The existing alliances can change.

ISTANA KEPRESIDENAN/AGUS SUPARTO

From left, PDIP DPP Chairperson Puan Maharani, PDIP Presidential Candidate Candidate Ganjar Pranowo, PDIP General Chairperson Megawati Soekarno Putri, and President Joko Widodo, pose for a group photo after the announcement of the PDIP presidential candidate held at the Batutulis Palace, Bogor City, West Java, Friday (21 /4/2023).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The configuration of political alliances in contesting the 2024 presidential election is predicted to change after the the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) announced it would back Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as its presidential candidate. The signal that the configuration would change strengthened after a number of political parties said they would meet to address the latest political dynamics.

Cyrus Network founder Hasan Nasbi said the PDI-P’s decision to back Ganjar was a political and most definitive decision so far in the constellation for the 2024 presidential election. The reason was that to back Ganjar, the PDI-P did not need to form an alliance with other parties because it fulfilled the requirements of the presidential nomination threshold.

“When a presidential candidate is [definitively named], the effect will be contagious. If a political party does not make an immediate decision, it might even not have any friends [and] can even miss the [train]. So, the political alliances will soon become certain [and] not wait for October 2023,” Hasan said on Sunday (23/4/2023), referring to the formal registration period for candidates with the General Elections Commission (KPU).

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The current configuration of political alliances, Hasan added, allowed for changes. This was because of Ganjar, who ranked high in electability in the surveys of a number of institutions, so he could be a magnet for other political parties. Changes may also occur when deciding the candidates for vice president.

Before the PDI-P decided on Ganjar as its presidential candidate, three electoral alliances had been formed, namely the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB: Golkar Party, National Mandate Party [PAN], and United Development Party), the Great Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KKIR: Gerindra and the National Awakening Party), and the Coalition of Change for Unity (KPP: Nasdem, Democrats, and Prosperous Justice Party).

Megawati Contemplation

The PDI-P's decision to support Ganjar was announced by PDI-P general chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri in Batutulis, Bogor, on Friday (21/4/2023). President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was present at the occasion, as was Ganjar. Megawati said the party decided to nominate Ganjar after a long period of contemplation. It also arrived at the decision after observing public expectations and holding dialogue with national leaders and a number of PDI-P members.

President Jokowi advised that the new leader continue the nation's vision and superior programs that had been declared. Ganjar was committed to continuing that vision and those programs. He also promised to realize all of Bung Karno's thoughts.

PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto believed other political parties were interested in working with the PDI-P to support Ganjar in the 2024 presidential Election. He saw this from the responses of other political parties after the PDI-P decided on Ganjar. The party had communicated intensely with at least the National Mandate Party and the Crescent Star Party so far.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The presidential candidate Anies Baswedan during the Idul Fitri 1444 Hijri prayer at the Istiqlal Mosque, Central Jakarta, Saturday (22/4/2023). The Nasdem Party, the Democratic Party, and the PKS have decided to nominate Anies Baswedan as their presidential candidate and form the Coalition for Change for Unity.

Pak [Mr.] Jokowi started with seven names. These will be narrowed down to five, and then to three. Those are the stages.

Furthermore, the PDI-P would open communication with other political parties. On Monday (24/4), Hasto promised to convey plans for a meeting between Megawati and the general chairmen of other political parties. This meeting was part of the process of selecting Ganjar’s running mate.

On Saturday in Surakarta, Central Java, Jokowi named seven figures that could be suitable as Ganjar's running mate. They are Prabowo Subianto, Mahfud MD, Airlangga Hartarto, Erick Thohir, Sandiaga Uno, Muhaimin Iskandar, and Ridwan Kamil. The mention of these names, according to Hasto, had been communicated to Megawati.

“Pak [Mr.] Jokowi started with seven names. These will be narrowed down to five, and then to three. Those are the stages," he said.

Consolidation

Following the PDI-P's announcement that it was backing Ganjar, PAN chairman Zulkifli Hasan said the members of the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) would be meeting soon. In particular, PAN was open to the possibility of working with any political power, including the PDI-P.

Meanwhile, the PPP plans to hold a joint meeting of its central executive board (DPP) during the 2023 Lebaran Open Griya event at the residence of PPP acting chairman Mardiono in Sleman, Yogyakarta. The meeting will discuss the latest political dynamics, as well as its plans for the PPP National Leadership Meeting to discuss the 2024 presidential election.

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Meanwhile, Gerindra, according to its secretary-general Ahmad Muzani, was still supporting Prabowo as its presidential candidate in the 2024 election. However, Ahmad did not rule out the possibility of Prabowo meeting with Megawati after the PDI-P's decision to back Ganjar.

Prabowo visited President Jokowi on Saturday for Idul Fitri. On that occasion, Prabowo said he was still paying close attention to the dynamics in the nomination process. “We look at the dynamics. The important thing is that everything is oriented towards the national interests and the interests of the people," he said.

The KPP was committed to continuing to support Anies Baswedan as the alliance’s presidential candidate. PKS chairman Mardani Ali Sera said he believed that the PDI-P’s announcement of its presidential candidate would clarify the political map going forward. The PDI-P’s decision was also input for consideration in the alliance’s search for Anies' running mate. It was still considering a number of figures, such as Ahmad Heryawan, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and Mahfud MD. (BOW/PDS/NAD/INA/NCA/Z11)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.