Candidates for PBNU Chairman 2026-2031, Insana Survey: Kiai Imam Jazuli Leads Gus Yahya

The Institut Nahdliyin Nusantara (Insantara) has released the results of a national survey on the preferred candidates for PBNU Chairman for 2026-2031 among NU officials and members, conducted online from 20 February to 15 March 2026. In this survey, Kiai Imam Jazuli is reported to lead KH Yahya Cholil Staquf (Gus Yahya). The survey aims to map potential candidates for PBNU Chairman and identify pressing issues that PBNU must address ahead of the 35th NU Congress, scheduled for July or August 2026. “The survey population consists of 70% representing NU members and 30% representing NU officials at the PWNU and PCNU levels across Indonesia,” Insantara stated in its release, quoted on Wednesday (18/3/2026). Notably, in a semi-open simulation involving 14 potential candidates for PBNU Chairman, with the question “If the NU Congress were held now, who would you choose as PBNU Chairman from the following names?”, KH Imam Jazuli emerged at the top with 26.1%. Following him in order are KH Marzuqi Mustamar with 22.6%, KH Yusuf Chudlori with 17%, KH Yahya Cholil Staquf with 9.8%, KH Zulfa Mustofa with 4.6%, and KH Abdussalam Shohib with 4.2%. Subsequently, the names include Prof KH Nasaruddin Umar (4.0%), KH Syaifullah Yusuf (3.6%), H Nusron Wahid (2.1%), Prof KH Nuh DEA (1.9%), KH Abd Ghaffar Rozin (1.3%), KH Juhadi Muhammad (1.3%), and KH Abd Hakim Mahfudz (1.3%). Insana attributes Kiai Imam Jazuli’s high support to the fact that 80% of respondents are dissatisfied with the current PBNU leadership. In this context, Kiai Imam Jazuli often appears to criticise PBNU’s internal conflicts and proposes forward-looking ideas for NU’s roadmap in its second century. Additionally, Kiai Imam Jazuli is regarded as the most potential young NU and pesantren figure to replace Gus Yahya in PBNU’s succession at the upcoming 35th NU Congress. The survey, using multistage random sampling, involved 5,900 respondents representing NU officials and members, with a margin of error of about 3% at a 95% confidence level.