Political Parties Continue to Garner Support for Presidential Candidates

PDIP presidential candidate, Ganjar Pranowo received support from PPP. Not only PPP, PDI-P will approach other political parties to support Ganjar.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Acting Chairman of the United Development Party M Mardiono (center) prepares to present the results of the V PPP National Leadership Meeting at his residence in Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, Wednesday (26/4/2023). PPP has decided to nominate Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as a presidential candidate in the 2024 elections.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Political parties continue to garner support from other parties to increase the chances of their presidential candidate to win in the 2024 presidential election. There are at least five aspects that make this interparty support possible.

On Wednesday (26/4/2023), the United Development Party (PPP) announced it would nominate Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as a presidential candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres). The PPP decision further added support for Ganjar, who was formally nominated on Friday by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) as its presidential candidate. Prior to PPP, there were two nonparliamentary political parties that had decided to support Ganjar, namely the Hanura Party and the Indonesian Solidarity Party.

The acting chairman of PPP, Mardiono, said in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Ganjar had support from the PPP grassroots. Another reason is Ganjar has a historical relationship with PPP. The Ganjar family has a history of being a PPP caretaker.

"Ganjar is from the NU family and we are from PPP. In the future, we will definitely be able to realize the same vision and mission in government," he said.

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PPP will immediately convey its decision to PDI-P chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. This decision will also be taken by PPP to the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB). PPP is part of KIB, which also consists of the Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

PAN chairman Zulkifli Hasan said KIB would meet on Thursday evening (27/4/2023). President Jokowi also plans to meet with leaders of political parties to discuss the latest political dynamics. Regarding PAN, according to Zulkifli, it has not yet decided to nominate a certain figure as a presidential candidate. "It’s still a long way away," he said.

Meanwhile, PDI-P’s secretary-general, Hasto Kristiyanto, welcomed PPP's support for Ganjar. PDI-P will meet with PPP to tie up cooperation for the 2024 presidential election following the latter’s support. PDI-P will continue to garner support from other political parties for Ganjar.

TIM PDI-P

General Chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Megawati Soekarnoputri pairs a kopiah (cap) on Candidate President Ganjar Pranowo, at the Batutulis Palace, Bogor, Friday (21/4/2023).

Golkar-Gerindra

Golkar Party spokesperson Tantowi Yahya said his party was not surprised by PPP's decision. It will be the same with PAN if it later follows PPP. Golkar, according to him, will continue to nominate Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartarto as a potential presidential candidate. For this reason, Golkar has communicated intensively with Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto.

“If the two parties team up, it will not be a surprise because Golkar and Gerindra were born from the same womb. The chemistry and the foundation of the struggle are not different," said Tantowi.

Of course we hope that our cooperation will not only be between Gerindra and PKB.

Member of the Gerindra Party’s Board of Trustees, Andre Rosiade, confirmed his intensive communication with Golkar. However, the decision to form a coalition has not yet been taken. Apart from Golkar, Gerindra is also communicating with other parties, such as PAN, PPP and PDI-P.

"Of course we hope that our cooperation will not only be between Gerindra and PKB," he said.

The Coalition for Change (KPP), which supports former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, will continue to garner support from other political parties. "We are inclusive, with PDI-P figures Golkar, Gerindra and PAN, and we have improved communication. In fact, it was intense and I did it myself," said Nasdem deputy chairman Sugeng Suparwoto.

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The head of the Department of Politics and Social Change at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Arya Fernandes said as the electability of the three presidential candidates, Ganjar, Prabowo and Anies, was not too far apart, the determining factor for a coalition should be influenced by at least five aspects.

The five aspects are the presidential and vice-presidential candidates’ pairings, fair distribution of power among coalition members if their candidate is elected, balanced distribution of roles in the campaign, the common vision and political mission they fight for and President Jokowi's initiative to bring together party interests in a coalition. (EGI/WKM/INA/BOW/Z11)

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.