Gerindra Respect the Change in Attitude of the Democrats to Support the Pilkada through the DPRD

Chairman of the DPP Gerindra Party Prasetyo Hadi gives information after handing over the SEA Games bonus to athletes at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (8/1/2026). ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPP Gerindra Party Prasetyo Hadi respects the change in the attitude of the Democratic Party which now supports the proposal for regional head elections (pilkada) through the DPRD, which was originally proposed by Gerindra.

Pras, his nickname, explained that the change in the Democratic Party's attitude was a view from each party that had been considered.

"If we must respect the views of each party, of course. It is certainly impossible to decide without making calculations or conducting studies," said Pras as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 8.

Pras denied that Gerindra had communicated to the Democratic Party to change their attitude and support the election to be carried out through the DPRD.

Previously, the Democrats firmly rejected the proposal for the regional election through the DPRD. This is because the Chairman of the High Council of the Party Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had rejected the proposal when he served as the 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia.

"(Change) It's the attitude of each party," said Pras.

Pras, who is also the Minister of State Secretary, emphasized that the government would absorb public aspirations if the proposal was officially implemented.

Based on the results of one survey, the majority of residents, as many as 66.1 percent, rejected the proposal for the election to be carried out through the DPRD.

"We respect all opinions like that. Of course, all views are pro, there are those who are against, there are those who support, while not yet, right. There is no problem either," said Pras.

On a previous occasion, Pras argued that expensive political costs were an obstacle for candidates for regional heads, both regents, mayors, and governors to fight in the democracy party.

In addition, the state's expenditure to hold the Pilkada at the city/district level, to the province is also quite large.

President Prabowo Subianto as the General Chair of the Gerindra Party has long discussed the proposal for the election of regional heads from the DPRD.

"If the study in our Gerindra party is internal, we are frankly one of those who propose or argue that we want to restore the system of electing regional heads through the mechanism in the DPRD," said Pras.