Will Indonesia’s Prabowo ‘benefit’ from protests against proposed changes to election law?

Over the weekend, Prabowo indicated he was siding with the protesters in their effort to uphold Indonesia’s constitution while denouncing politicians prioritising their own interests.

“We come to the people [in elections] to ask for the people’s mandate […] that’s what we do as political parties,” Prabowo said at the National Mandate Party’s national congress in Jakarta on Sunday.

“But some have an endless thirst for power. And, with the powers [bestowed upon them], seek to pursue interests other than those of the people. This will disrupt and harm a nation.”

Analysts say the comments were an effort by Prabowo to lock in public support when he takes on the presidency.

“The size of the protests last week was quite shocking for political elites, both on the streets and on social media,” said political analyst Yoes Kenawas from Jakarta’s Atma Jaya Catholic University.

“Prabowo realised this. He did not reject the protesters’ demands because he does not want to start his presidency with strong resistance against him,” Yoes added.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the parliament building in Jakarta on Thursday and Friday to demand an end to proposed legal changes that would allow Widodo’s youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, to run for a provincial governor position.

Protesters denounced the changes as part of a larger attempt by Widodo to entrench his family’s political influence, weeks before he is set to leave office in October.

The protests followed several days of intense legal drama that began when the constitutional court announced its ruling in two areas of election law on Tuesday.

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Indonesia protests rage as lawmakers shelve plan to change election law

First, the court upheld the 30-year-old minimum age requirement for