Rivalries, reckonings on the Orient Express of Indonesian politics
Nobody was murdered, but Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka finds himself trapped on a speeding political train where shifting allies, bitter family legacies, and unsettled rivalries make everyone a suspect.
Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka finds himself in a complex political situation reminiscent of a Christie mystery, with shifting alliances, bitter rivalries, and unresolved histories among his supporters and opponents. Despite the drama, no one has been murdered—litterally.
Gibran's father, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, played a significant role in his ascent to power, forming alliances with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and its chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri. This partnership helped Jokowi rise from mayoralty in Surakarta to governorship in Jakarta and eventually to the presidency. However, their relationship soured in 2024 when Gibran chose to support Prabowo Subianto instead of the PDI-P candidate, Ganjar Pranowo.
Other political parties, such as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, NasDem, and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), have had fluctuating support for Jokowi and Gibran over the years. These shifting loyalties make it difficult to determine current political alignments. The PKS, for instance, backed Prabowo against Jokowi in previous elections, remained outside Jokowi's government, supported Anies Baswedan in 2024, and then joined the coalition backing the Prabowo-Gibran administration.
Despite these contentious relationships, the controversies surrounding Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka are not the result of old grudges. Support for Jokowi does not automatically dictate support for Gibran. The Indonesian political landscape is intricate, with passengers on the political train often changing compartments, making it challenging to establish who is traveling with whom.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post Academia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
