Civil Society Groups Convene at UGM to Address Shrinking Democratic Space
The Republic Conference, initiated and attended by hundreds of civil society organisations, activists, and academics, was held at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) on Saturday, 30 May 2026. Yanuar Nugroho, Secretary-General of the Republic Conference Committee, stated the forum was created as a platform for civil society to express concerns about the nation’s condition.
‘The Republic Conference aims to bridge the gap between various anxious civil society groups,’ he said when contacted on Sunday, 31 May 2026.
He noted that civil space is increasingly shrinking, with concerns not only felt by academics but also media practitioners, activists, entrepreneurs, SME operators, and even bureaucrats.
Amid societal anxieties, he added, civil space is narrowing further. ‘Various civil society groups often feel isolated,’ he said.
Therefore, Yanuar said the Republic Conference forums aim to connect and bring together civil society groups sharing similar concerns about the nation’s state. The goal, he added, is to facilitate encounters, discussions, and a sense of shared purpose.
‘Ultimately, to act collectively as civil society,’ said the founder of Nalar Institute.
Yanuar explained that the Republic Conference forums would be held across various regions of Indonesia. Follow-up actions from these meetings, he said, would depend on local dynamics.
Each region has its own agenda for the conference, making it autonomous, he added. Moreover, the conference is organised independently through participants’ collective efforts.
‘Everything is a community effort, with contributions. No sponsors,’ he said.
At the UGM meeting in late May, the forum concluded that civil space is shrinking under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. Yanuar stated collective efforts are needed to safeguard civil space.
‘Indonesian civil society feels the need to organise and consolidate to ensure shrinking civil space becomes a space for citizens again,’ he said.
Civil space is narrowing, he said, evident in the absence of public consultation space, procedural democracy practices, and formalistic participation. ‘This is due to state repression that views public criticism and input as threats,’ Yanuar said.
Indonesia is also grappling with issues due to suboptimal development implementation. Yanuar said the government’s weak capacity for development stems from widespread conflicts of interest and incompetence.
‘Including the demise of meritocracy and technocracy, alongside rampant corruption,’ Yanuar added.
Attendees included figures such as Jaleswari Pramodhawardani from Lab 45, former Lemhannas Governor Andi Widjajanto, UGM FISIPOL Sociologist Arie Sujito, Father Leo Kleden from IFTK Ledalero, Alissa Wahid of Jaringan Gusdurian, UGM HTN Professor Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Bhima Yudhistira of CELIOS, Titi Anggraini of Perludem, Victoria Fanggidae of The Prakarsa, former KPK Commissioner Chandra Hamzah, and Yanuar Nugroho of Nalar Institute.
Seven panels were organised to discuss various thematic issues at the Republic Conference forum, including models of public participation institutionalisation, national civil society consolidation strategies, economic justice and economic democracy, rule of law and anti-corruption, ecological crisis and growth limits, knowledge democratisation, and active and deliberative citizenship models.