Analysis: The Prabowo-Gibran government is clearly falling short

Two years into their five-year term, President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka are facing growing public discontent. Protests and declining survey results indicate deep disappointment with the administration's performance. At a plenary cabinet meeting on October 21, ministers confidently highlighted achievements, including a free nutritious meal program, while acknowledging shortcomings in its implementation.

However, public sentiment reveals a starkly different reality. Demonstrations erupted on October 20 when Greenpeace Indonesia activists unfurled a banner at Jakarta's Welcome Monument, quickly gaining traction on social media and inspiring nationwide action. Protests soon spread to Tugu Tani in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Makassar, Malang, and Semarang, with students, labor unions, and civil society participating.

These protests demanded stronger forest and land fire management, addressing rising living costs, protecting free expression, combating corruption, and improving access to essential services. They also called for military and police to return to their constitutional roles and demanded audits of national projects. Surveys show public trust in the Prabowo-Gibran administration at 64.8 percent, with satisfaction dropping to 55.3 percent, a significant decline from 78.1 percent a year earlier.

Support for Prabowo has plummeted from 34.9 percent in November 2025 to just 9.8 percent in October 2026. The Red and White Cabinet received poor ratings of 4.7 out of 10 from the public and 2.9 out of 10 from policy experts, reflecting widespread anxiety over taxes, household budgets, joblessness, commodity prices, and labor protections.