Prabowo Announces French Language Instruction in Indonesian Schools During Macron Visit

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed Indonesian schools to enhance French language education. He made the announcement during a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron during his working visit to Paris, France, on Thursday (28 May 2026). ‘Now, I have instructed that all levels of Indonesian schools must learn French, considering future global developments,’ Prabowo said at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday (28 May 2026), as seen on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel. According to Prabowo, Indonesia-France relations are currently at their best and continue to develop across various strategic sectors. He noted that bilateral cooperation is growing stronger in defence, education, science and technology, and investment. ‘In several respects, Indonesia and France share the same stance, and our bilateral relations are now very strong, which is due to President Macron’s direct support,’ he added.