Three Coalition Parties Yet to Decide Whether to Back Prabowo in 2029

Three of the seven parties in the governing coalition in the House of Representatives have said they have yet to decide whether to back President Prabowo Subianto again in the 2029 presidential election.

Demokrat, PKS and NasDem said they had not discussed their support for the 2029 election. All three said they remained focused on delivering the government’s priority programmes through to 2029.

Demokrat Strategic Communications Agency head Herzaky Mahendra Putra said there would be an appropriate time to discuss support for a presidential candidate in 2029. For now, he said, the party’s chairman, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), was focused on his duties as Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.

“First, we have never discussed presidential and vice-presidential candidates for 2029, because our chairman, Mr AHY, is focused on the assignment entrusted to us by President Prabowo in government,” Herzaky told reporters on Saturday (10 October), as quoted by detikcom.

PKS Secretary-General Muhammad Kholid said that decisions on support in the 2029 presidential election fell under the authority of the party’s Syuro Council. The council has not made a decision, he said.

“The Syuro Council’s deliberation decided that PKS would support President Prabowo Subianto’s government and help it succeed through to 2029,” Kholid said when contacted on Monday (12 October).

“As for the 2029 presidential election, the Syuro Council’s deliberation has not reached a decision,” he added.

Kholid said PKS was currently focused on overseeing several of the government’s strategic programmes. He said this was part of a commitment and responsibility that had to be fulfilled.

“We should fulfil this responsibility as well as we can first. There will be a time to decide our position on the 2029 presidential election,” Kholid said.

NasDem Secretary-General Hermawi Taslim gave a similar response, saying the party had not taken a position on support for the 2029 election.

Hermawi said the question of support was still under consideration, and that the process would begin after the stages of the 2029–2034 election cycle got under way.

“It is still being considered, pending the start of the 2029–2034 election stages,” he said.

Three parties declare support

Meanwhile, three other parties, excluding Gerindra, which is led by Prabowo, have declared that they will back the President again in 2029. Golkar deputy chairman Ahmad Doli Kurnia said his party had long ago decided to nominate Prabowo Subianto as its presidential candidate for the 2029 election.

Golkar has not yet decided who would run as Prabowo’s vice-presidential candidate. Doli said the choice would ultimately also take into account the decision of Prabowo, as the party’s presidential nominee.

“Since the end of 2024, Golkar’s position has been clear. For the 2029 presidential election, we already have a candidate: Mr Prabowo,” Doli said at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Thursday (8 October).

PAN deputy chairman Viva Yoga Mauladi said there was no need to question PAN’s position on backing Prabowo again. He said the question should instead be directed at parties that had yet to make up their minds.

“That position was formally stated by PAN chairman Zulkifli Hasan at the party’s 2025 National Working Meeting,” Viva said when contacted on Monday (12 October).

PKB deputy chairman Faisol Reza said Prabowo deserved to continue leading the government. Faisol said the party’s reasoning was that a number of strategic government programmes had been implemented effectively, including free nutritious meals, the Merah Putih village cooperatives and people’s schools.

Reza hoped Prabowo would not assume that the public no longer supported him for the 2029 election. He urged people to express their support, either directly or through political parties.

“PKB supports Prabowo Subianto’s re-election as a presidential candidate 100 per cent, or even 1,000 per cent, because he is highly deserving of leading Indonesia for a second term,” Faisol said, as quoted by detikcom on Monday (12 October).

Gerindra’s response

Gerindra spokesperson Sugiat Santoso praised the parties that had declared their support for Prabowo. He said Gerindra’s grassroots membership also wanted Prabowo to run for president again in 2029.

However, Sugiat said the choice of vice-presidential candidate would be Prabowo’s decision, to be made at the last minute. He said he could not yet say who would be the right candidate.

“In principle, we appreciate and thank our fellow parties for their prayers and support for Mr Prabowo in the 2029 presidential election,” Sugiat Santoso told reporters on Saturday (10 October), as quoted by detikcom.