What's behind the schism between President Prabowo and his predecessor Jokowi

The rift between former Indonesia president Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, and his predecessor, Prabowo Subianto, a former general, has deep roots in their shared history and political rivalry. Accusations of police wiretapping Prabowo and the possible impeachment of his vice president have further strained their relationship. Jokowi, who defeated Prabowo twice in 2014 and 2019 presidential elections, appointed Prabowo as defense minister after their second defeat, helping to rebuild Prabowo's reputation following accusations of rights abuses.

Prabowo's run for presidency in 2024 was facilitated by Jokowi's support, which was contingent on Prabowo continuing Jokowi's legacy projects, including the construction of a new capital city, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan. However, tensions emerged during the election when Jokowi faced allegations of ethics breaches and meddling, including a court's last-minute decision to change election rules. This ruling allowed Jokowi's son to become Prabowo's running mate.

In an attempt to leverage Jokowi's support base, Prabowo installed several Jokowi loyalists in his administration during a series of reshuffles that began in September 2025. Notable among these was the removal of Jokowi's finance chief, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and later, the dismissal of Listyo Sigit Prabowo, a former police chief who became the president's chief of staff. The wiretapping scandal led to the arrest of Listyo, who was removed from his position.

Prabowo's commitment to Jokowi's projects has waned, with him approving only a fraction of the funding for Nusantara that Jokowi had allocated. The Constitutional Court recently ruled that Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi's son and Prabowo's running mate, lacks the appropriate credentials for the election, but ruled that Gibran could not be removed from office. Lawmakers are considering launching an inquiry into the matter, potentially leading to an impeachment.