A family story from Indonesia
#37
The Story
In Indonesia, a family wants to establish a political dynasty.
Explain.
General elections are scheduled in Indonesia on 14 February 2024 to elect the President, Vice President and the parliament. After two terms of office, each five years, the incumbent president, Joko Widodo, is no longer allowed to run. However, it looks like he wants to further secure his influence and power in the third-largest democracy.
How?
His son Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 36, is running for vice president under the presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who is now defence minister and is accused of human rights violation. Subianto is also the son-in-law of the former dictator Suharto. Many think that Widodo's son will run for the presidency in 2029. Gibran is allowed to run for vice presidency because the constitutional court has allowed to run under the age of 40. In that court, Anwar Usman is a judge who was appointed to the court by Mr Joko and later married the president's sister. Plus: In September last year, the president's youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, 28, joined the Indonesian Solidarity Party. Two days later, he was named its chairman. "The party is widely seen as a post-presidential vehicle for Mr. Joko that he can use to help cement his legacy as a leader who sought to modernize the country with new toll roads, ports and airports", the New York Times writes. In summary: A family is working hard to stay in power for a long time.
How To Save Democracy
Indonesia is a young democracy. A 32-year dictatorship by the Indonesian army officer and politician Suharto is considered one of the most brutal and corrupt of the 20th century. It ended in 1998. Since then, "Indonesia has made impressive democratic gains, establishing significant pluralism in politics and the media and undergoing multiple, peaceful transfers of power between parties." This is what the democracy observer Freedom House writes. So there may be enough media publicity about the dynastic aspirations, and the Indonesian people will be able to defend themselves against the attempt to seize permanent power.
See you,
Johannes Eber