NasDem Politician on Merger Issue with Gerindra: Not Easy

Deputy Chairman of the NasDem Party, Saan Mustopa, believes it is not easy to merge or combine two parties into one. This statement came as he responded to reports about the idea of a merger between the Gerindra Party and the NasDem Party following a meeting between their leaders.

Saan said that the idea of party amalgamation is a common consideration. Moreover, it had happened in 1973 when President Soeharto simplified the 10 political parties from the 1971 election into three political entities.

However, according to the Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives, a party merger today would be difficult to realise because each party holds its own ideology and the aspirations of its founders.

“Once again, it’s not easy to merge. Especially in today’s context where our national situation and our democracy are continuously developing and advancing,” he said at the DPR Building in Jakarta on Monday, 13 April 2026.

This week’s Tempo magazine edition revealed that President Prabowo Subianto, also the General Chairman of the Gerindra Party, proposed to the General Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, to combine the two parties. The idea emerged after they met at Prabowo’s residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, in mid-February 2026.

If the idea materialises, the combined parties would gather nearly 35 million national votes or 23 percent based on the 2024 election results. According to three senior NasDem officials, Surya did not welcome the proposal because he wants to maintain his position and has not seen any benefits of the merger for NasDem.

Saan admitted he was surprised by the information. He emphasised that the idea of party amalgamation is something that can be discussed, but it requires more effort to realise. Because, he said, each party carries different motivations, philosophies, and ideologies according to those of its founders.

“As an idea or discourse, it’s quite normal. But when we want to make it happen, there are many things that need to be considered. It must be discussed, it must be planned,” he stated.

Saan claimed that NasDem is still focused on consolidating internally to complete the structure from the regional to national levels. “So that’s our focus today. Regarding the discourse on fusion, it has not yet become a more in-depth discussion internally,” he said.