President Joko Widodo recently convened a meeting at the presidential palace with the chiefs of six leading political parties in Indonesia. Among those in attendance were Airlangga Hartarto of the Golkar Party, Muhaimin Iskandar of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), Prabowo Subianto of the Gerindra Party, Zulkifli Hasan of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Muhammad Mardiono of the United Development Party (PPP), and Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP).
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss current political issues and strengthen political bonds. Notably absent from the meeting was the Nasdem Party, as they had put forth former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan as their presidential candidate – a perceived political opponent to Jokowi.
Participants pledged to prioritize the unity of the country and maintain the fairness and integrity of the upcoming elections. Although no political strategies were discussed, the “political crème de la crème” exchanged ideas to further their common ground.
PPP Acting Chairman Muhammad Mardiono praised the smoothness of the meeting and noted that more meetings were needed to reach a solid consensus. Overall, the meeting was a positive step toward solidifying political relationships and promoting unity during the upcoming election.
