The 2024 Election Must Be Momentum For Golkar's Victory, Can Airlangga Hartarto And His Staff Win People's Votes?

JAKARTA - The 2024 election will be a momentum for the revival of the Golkar Party. The potential for Golkar to win the general election is wide open. This was conveyed by Budiman, Campaign Manager for Indonesian Political Indicators. Airlangga Hartarto and his entire staff must take advantage of this opportunity.

According to him, looking at the history of the post-reform elections, the party bearing the banyan tree logo won in 2004. He believes that in the 2024 election Golkar will be able to rise and win again.

"Once excelled, I think now is the momentum for (Golkar) to win in 2024. Two decades after that, Golkar has won on the national political stage," Budiman said in the discussion "Measuring the Electability of the Golkar Party Ahead of 2024" Saturday, January 15.

Budiman added that this projection has also been emphasized by the General Chair, Airlangga Hartarto, that the sixth decade of the Golkar party has won the election momentum. According to him, this is not just a figment, Golkar has strong capital.

“From the internal side, Golkar is filled with quality figures in this republic. Historically, Golkar has always been the locomotive of development. So, this republic, this nation, has always been driven by the best cadres of the Golkar party," he added.

As at this time, Budiman said that the Indonesia Maju cabinet was filled with a number of Golkar cadres. Airlangga Hartarto fills a strategic position as Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs as well as Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN).

According to him, Airlangga's role is very important. In addition to the general chairman, other cadres who are the locomotive of development at this time are Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita as Minister of Industry, Minister of Youth and Sports is also held by Zainudin Amali who is also Chairman of the Bapilu of the Golkar Party.

Referring to the survey results, there is a positive trend of public opinion towards economic improvement. According to Budiman, the locomotive for this economic improvement is the work of Airlangga Hartarto. However, Budiman assessed that Airlangga's work had not had a major impact on the party's electability.

"I see that it has not been maximized, what Pak Airlangga Hartarto is working on, but who benefits from other parties or parties, and in particular, of course, President Jokowi," he explained.

Meanwhile, based on the results of the latest Indonesian Political Indicators survey, Airlangga Hartarto's popularity ranks third from the general chairman of the party to be elected president.

With an electability of 6 percent, Airlangga is ahead of PDIP General Chair Megawati with 3.7 percent. Responding to this, Budiman said there was a trend of increasing popularity and electability of Airlangga Hartarto.

"Mr. Airlangga until now the trend is increasing, last year it was still 20 percent, now it's 32-37 percent. This means that there is a wide space for Airlangga to increase his popularity acceleration to voters," he explained.

Budiman assessed that, as a presidential candidate promoted by Golkar, Airlangga has the next 2 years to increase his popularity and electability. At least as capital for the upcoming presidential election, Airlangga Hartarto's popularity as the General Chair of the Golkar Party and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy should ideally be above 50 percent.

Furthermore, Budiman suggested that Airlangga Hartarto and party cadres should massively socialize Airlangga. Both to the Golkar voter base, as well as the wider community.

"Why do I say that Pak Airlangga has a 10 percent electability capital, because Pak Airlangga just needs to maximize the base of the Golkar party," he explained.

The pockets of Golkar's voice that can be maximized include those in South Sulawesi, the Bugis ethnicity. In addition, in the vote base with a large voter population, such as West Java, Central Java, and East Java.

In particular, Budiman assessed that Airlangga Hartarto's performance as Coordinating Minister for the Economy was extraordinary, one of which was also in digital transformation in Indonesia. "This is Golkar's capital for the upcoming 2024 election," he said.