Gerindra Responds to Budi Arie on Accelerating 2029 Election

Gerindra Party spokesman Sugiat Santoso has said there has been no internal party discussion about the 2029 general election. He made the statement in response to remarks by Projo chairman Budi Arie regarding the possibility of an early 2029 election.

“We are focused on making President Prabowo’s programmes a success; there has been no discussion about 2029,” he said in Jakarta on Tuesday (25/8).

He stressed that the party is currently safeguarding President Prabowo’s programmes and has not yet discussed the 2029 election. The discourse on the 2029 election, he said, is still far too premature.

On the issue of an early 2029 election, he said only Budi Arie understands the meaning of his own statement.

“Only Budi Arie himself knows what he meant. We are not influenced by it,” said the deputy chairman of House Commission XIII.

A video recording circulating on social media shows Budi Arie speaking alongside Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), about political momentum and the election taking place sooner.

Budi Arie’s statement has been clarified by Projo. Projo secretary-general Fredy Alex Damanik said the video clip of chairman Budi Arie Setiadi on the 2029 election was not a complete recording. He said Budi Arie was outlining various possibilities.

“The video is not a complete recording; he was actually presenting various possibilities,” Fredy said in a statement via video on Tuesday (25/8).

In that forum, he said, Budi Arie conveyed his views during a gathering held in connection with Indonesia’s Independence Month between the seventh president, Joko Widodo, and volunteers.

Jokowi, he said, listened to what the volunteers conveyed about the developing situation.

“Everything is fine, the economy is still growing well, inflation is under control, so there is nothing to worry about,” he said.