Potential And Challenges Of Prabowo - Ganjar Collaboration In The 2024 Presidential Election

Prabowo Subianto, Ganjar Pranowo and Jokowi. (Doc. VOI)

In recent times, there has been much discourse regarding the potential for a presidential-vice presidential pair in the 2024 presidential election. One of them is the duo Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo who are considered a potential pair. Several survey institutions such as SMRC and Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) have even issued survey results showing the couple's electability is quite high.

Deputy General Chair of the Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, supports this proposal by saying that Prabowo Subianto has a strong support base in the West Java region, while Ganjar Pranowo has high popularity in the Central Java region. According to him, if the two of them formed a duet, it was believed they could win votes in the two regions.

Prabowo and Ganjar Pranowo have quite good track records in their political careers. Prabowo has experience as a former Kostrad Commander and Danjen Kopassus and currently serves as Minister of Defense and has run for president in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections. Until now, Prabowo Subianto still serves as General Chair of Gerindra. Meanwhile, Ganjar is a PDIP cadre. He has experience as the Governor of Central Java and a member of the Indonesian Parliament and is a young figure who is considered capable of representing the aspirations of the wider community.

But it must be remembered that both of them also have weaknesses and controversies in the past that can affect the public's view of them.

Apart from that, there are several factors that can also affect the odds of this pair. One of them is the support from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Even though it's not straightforward, the support from President Jokowi, who served as president for two terms and has fanatical supporters, is important and cannot be ignored.

Even though Jokowi considers the Prabowo-Ganjar duo to be the ideal pair, it is not certain that this will affect support from political parties and the public. There are many things to consider before making the decision to carry this pair.

First of all, the political parties must reach an agreement to support this pair. Previously, the Gerindra Party had proposed a Prabowo-Ganjar duet. Meanwhile, PKB, through its general chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin, stated that this discourse was still speculative and had not been formalized by a political party. PKB is currently an ally and has announced a coalition with Gerindra.

Meanwhile, PDIP, the party to which Ganjar Pranowo belongs, is the party with the largest votes. PDI-P has yet to announce which presidential candidate it will carry. Moreover, as is well known, the right to determine the presidential candidate is entirely in the hands of General Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri. And Megawati has yet to give a clear signal to nominate Ganjar as a presidential candidate.

It's strange. Because the matter of who becomes the presidential and vice presidential candidates can be very tough.

Nonetheless, collaboration and coalitions between political parties in the Presidential Election are considered positive for democracy in Indonesia. This also shows that political parties are starting to consider the ability and popularity of candidates, and support from political parties, and the public in determining presidential candidates in the 2024 Presidential Election.

In a political situation that is still uncertain, anything can happen and all possibilities must be open. However, one thing is certain, the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs must have adequate skills and experience and receive strong support from political parties and society. And most importantly realizing the common goal of advancing Indonesia in the future.