Surya Paloh And Prabowo Meet, Observers Of The Value Of The 2024 Coalition Exploration Are Getting More Intensive

JAKARTA - Executive Director of the Institute for Democracy and Strategic Affairs (Indostrategic), A. Khoirul Umam, assessed that the meeting between NasDem Chairman, Surya Paloh, and Gerindra Chairman, Prabowo Subianto, was seen as an effort to face the 2024 election contestation.

This means, according to Umam, the exploration of the coalition towards 2024 in the future will be more intensive.

"The meeting is clearly not ceremonial. It is most likely related to exploring the coalition towards 2024", Umam told reporters, Thursday, June 2.

Even so, Umam assessed that the potential for a coalition between NasDem and Gerindra was relatively small. Because he said, the two-party leaders have very different perspectives and approach in terms of political foundations.

"Indeed, from the start, Pak Surya Paloh and Pak Prabowo's national politics were quite different. I think the lessons from the 2019 presidential election were that one element used acute exploitation of identity politics and created such extraordinary polarization. The position of Pak Paloh is quite clearly to oppose such political practices", he explained.

Meanwhile, regarding the opportunity for the Gerindra and PDIP coalition, which is called a duet between Prabowo Subianto and Puan Maharani, according to Umam, this pair is still quite competitive.

"I think Prabowo-Puan would be a pretty good option. Even if then it would allow for a trade-off", he said.

"Potential trade-offs can be pluses and minuses, but if we talk about discipline, I think the party infrastructure and positions in power with back up from the ruling power, are quite promising and competitive", he added.

Umam revealed the conditions for the coalition to be able to compete with other pairs in the 2024 contest.

"Trade-off must be realized in the form of commitment and vision of the same coalition between PDIP and Gerindra. At the same time optimizing political infrastructure through political party machines really must be optimized", he said.

It is known that the Gerindra Party is determined to nominate Prabowo Subianto again for the third time. Even though yesterday Prabowo revealed the criteria for presidential candidates if he was not the one running for the presidential election.

Meanwhile, PDIP is still waiting for developments. There are two strong names, namely Puan Maharani and Ganjar Pranowo.

Based on data from the Indonesian Political Indicators survey, both Puan and Ganjar's electability is still below 80 percent.

"Considering that the election process is quite long, and only after that we will crystallize the whole concept of cooperation for the benefit of the nation and state", said PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto some time ago.