In the 2024 Presidential Election, President Prabowo Subianto pledged “continuity” as the central theme of his campaign and formed a large coalition known as the Forward Indonesia Coalition, or Koalisi Indonesia Maju. Notably, Prabowo expanded this coalition by incorporating additional political parties following the 2024 general election. The RSIS Seminar on “Anticipating the Prabowo Presidency: Key Insights and Expectations”, which was held on 29 October 2024, aimed to discuss the priorities of the Prabowo administration in both the immediate and near term, particularly within the “first 100 days.” The seminar also sought to explore how coalition politics might influence cabinet formation and its potential impact on policymaking, governance, party politics, and the government’s relations with affiliated non-governmental organizations.
The seminar was divided into four segments. Dr Alexander R. Arifianto, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Indonesia Programme at RSIS, and Dr Leonard C. Sebastian, Senior Fellow, led the first segment, which examined the political coalitions that constituted Prabowo’s Red and White Cabinet, analysing the balance of power within, particularly the dynamics among Prabowo, former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), and the head of Indonesia’s Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Megawati Soekarnoputri.
In the second segment, Research Fellow Dr Adhi Priamarizki began by examining Prabowo’s circle of associates with military backgrounds. He continued by analysing the inclusion of military officials during Prabowo’s tenure as defence minister. The third segment, led by Senior Analyst Mr Muhammad Haziq bin Jani, offered insights into political economy, covering Prabowo’s economic goals and Indonesia’s economic relations with other countries. The final segment focused on potential trajectories for Prabowo’s foreign policy.
The seminar concluded with a Q&A session, during which participants asked questions related to Prabowo’s Red and White Cabinet, including specific cases in foreign and defence policy.
