Indonesian president Prabowo has made his largest cabinet reshuffle yet, what does this mean for his agenda?

On October 1, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto conducted his seventh significant cabinet reshuffle since taking office in October 2024. The Jakarta Post reports that the reshuffle, which made Prabowo one of the largest cabinets in Indonesian history, appointed or reshuffled 18 senior officials. Prabowo's cabinet includes allies of both him and his predecessor, Joko Jokowi Widodo, and he has added more roles, particularly deputy ministers, to expand his influence.

Key changes in the reshuffle include moving Sugiono, Prabowo's "ideological son" and the deputy chairman of Prabowo's Gerindra party, from Foreign Minister to Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture. Arrmanatha Nasir, Sugiono's deputy at the ministry, succeeded Sugiono as Foreign Minister. Muhammad Sarmuji, secretary-general of the Golkar party, with about 18 percent of seats in Indonesia's parliament, became the new Industry Minister, retaining his position as chairman of Golkar.

Former Jokowi appointees, such as former National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, were replaced by Suyudi Ario Seto, who now serves as the Presidential Chief of Staff. Prabowo also appointed Luky Alfirman as the new Deputy Finance Minister, following his finance minister's replacement in his sixth reshuffle. The reshuffle has been viewed as Prabowo's effort to reinforce coalitions, as Indonesia nears the 2029 presidential election.

However, concerns persist about Prabowo's governance style, the economy, and the high costs associated with the large cabinet. Public opinion surveys suggest that many Indonesians feel that the country's economic conditions are poor despite decent GDP growth. Prabowo, nearing the midpoint of his presidency, faces a challenging period ahead.