NU Leadership Map Crystallizes Ahead of 35th Congress

JAKARTA - The dynamics leading up to the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Congress are considered to be increasingly focused on the formation of a leadership configuration that will determine the direction of the organization in the future.

NU young figure, Khalilur R Abdullah Sahlawiy or Gus Lilur, considers that the process cannot be separated from the relationship between the position of Rais Aam and the General Chairman which are interrelated in the organizational structure.

He explained that although Rais Aam was chosen through the mechanism of Ahlul Halli wal Aqdi (AHWA), in practice the internal dynamics of the organization also influenced the direction of the decision. Therefore, the leadership map is considered to have begun to form before the official election forum took place.

"The composition of AHWA is very strategic because it determines the direction of choice. This dynamic shows that the process is not self-standing, but related to a wider configuration," said Gus Lilur, Tuesday, April 28.

A number of names have begun to emerge in the leadership exchange. The current PBNU General Chairman, Yahya Cholil Staquf, is said to still have the opportunity to run again. Meanwhile, the Secretary General of PBNU Saifullah Yusuf is said to tend to encourage the continuation of Rais Aam's current leadership while maintaining the balance of the organizational structure.

On the other hand, various other possible configurations have also emerged involving various backgrounds, including from the pesantren, organizations, to the government. A number of figures such as Said Aqil Siradj and Nazaruddin Umar have also been mentioned in various speculations.

Gus Lilur menilai seluruh kemungkinan tersebut masih bersifat dinamis dan dapat berubah hingga pelaksanaan Muktamar. Ia juga tidak menutup kemungkinan munculnya alternatif kepemimpinan sebagai hasil kompromi menjelang forum pemilihan.

According to him, in the NU tradition, the role of the pesantren kiai remains an important factor that is often outside the formal political calculations, so that the final direction of leadership is not easy to predict.

"In the end, the NU Congress is not just a forum for elections, but a meeting place for various interests and orientations. From there, it will be seen where NU will be taken," he said.

With the ever-evolving dynamics, the leadership of NU in the future is considered to be very determined by the ability to maintain internal balance while maintaining the role of the organization in religious and national life.