PSI and Projo Vie for Jokowi's Influence: Analyst: No Significant Impact on Electability

Jakarta - Projo and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) are vying for influence over Indonesia’s seventh President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Both are claiming to be preparing Jokowi to tour Indonesia to absorb public aspirations. Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO), Dedi Kurnia Syah, has questioned Jokowi’s influence in boosting electability. In fact, the former Mayor of Solo was not sufficiently successful in helping PSI secure seats in Senayan. “Looking at Jokowi’s influence trail in the 2024 elections, and based on IPO’s survey records, Jokowi actually does not have a significant impact on political parties’ electability,” Dedi told Kompas.com on Friday (15/6/2026). This is on par with the Ummah Party, Gelora, PKN, and several other new political parties. “Indeed, Prabowo won the presidential election. However, that success was not dominated by the Jokowi factor,” he explained. Dedi assesses that the mutual claims of vying for Jokowi will make his influence even smaller. According to him, Projo is using Jokowi because Projo grew large due to Jokowi. “Projo’s claim that they are not pro-Jokowi does not make sense,” he stated. Previously, Projo stated that Jokowi’s condition has recovered 99 percent and he is ready to tour Indonesia in June 2026. Meanwhile, that claim was immediately refuted by PSI. “We are the ones preparing it. I don’t know what that Projo is, what Projo? Projo isn’t pro-Jokowi, right? They said that at the time. So it’s a bit confusing when you ask me about this Projo, which Projo? The one that’s no longer pro-Jokowi?” said Bestari to Kompas.com on Thursday (14/5/2026).