Spokesman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Mohamad Guntur Romli, says that the party has yet to decide on the date for its national congress, dismissing speculations that it will be postponed to a latter time.

“There is no such posponement on the party congress as the date has yet to be determined since the beginning,” Guntur Romli told Indonesia Business Post by phone on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Earlier, national media have reported that PDI-P would hold its national congress in April. As the month is nearing its end, the media have started to speculate that the congress would be postponed to a yet determined date.

Yasonna Laoly, a member of PDI-P’s Central Executive Board, has also confirmed earlier that the party congress had not yet been scheduled.

“There’s no issue,” Yasonna said on April 17, 2025 as quoted by tempo.co.id. “We’re just in the process of consolidating internally,” he added, while suggesting that the final date was still under discussion, pending instructions from party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

He cited that organizing the congress requires logistical preparation and significant resources, especially after PDI-P’s latest focus on the 2024 general elections and regional elections.

“It’s not easy to organize a congress. We need to prepare properly, especially when it involves bringing members to the designated venue,” he said.

Legal case

Political analyst Emrus Sihombing considered the PDI-P’s sluggish move to set the date for party congress as a "productive and strategic decision."

He emphasized that holding a congress while a central party figure −Secretary General Hasto Kristianto − is embroiled in a legal case would risk undermining party unity and leadership integrity. Hasto is being detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over an alleged bribery case.

"It is highly inappropriate for a congress to proceed without the participation of a key leader such as the Secretary-General," Sihombing said. "This delay reflects the party’s internal solidarity and strategic patience as they await clarity from the judicial process."

He noted that there is a strong perception among party circles that Hasto’s legal case is politically motivated. “If this is purely a criminal case, PDI-P wouldn’t have delayed the congress,” he added.

Guntur Romli, however, dismissed the suggestions that the timing of the congress is related to internal issues such as the legal case involving Hasto case or the party’s position in relation to President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s administration. “There’s no such direct connection. The congress can be held independently of those matters,” he emphasized.

The primary agenda of the congress, Guntur Romli added, will be to reaffirm Megawati Soekarnoputri’s leadership as party chairperson for the 2025–2030 period.

“This follows the recommendation from the 2024 National Working Meeting and broad support from PDI-P’s provincial and regional branches,” he said.

The delay has prompted speculation about the implications of a recent high-profile meeting between Megawati and President Prabowo Subianto. While Sihombing did not confirm any formal coalition talks, he acknowledged the dynamic and pragmatic nature of Indonesian politics, suggesting that such an alliance is entirely plausible.

"A PDIP-Prabowo coalition could potentially prevent a ‘twin-sun’ scenario within the administration, where competing centers of power destabilize governance,” he said, while adding that if PDIP joins the ruling coalition, former President Joko Widodo’s influence may wane due to his diminishing formal and political leverage.

As for leadership succession, Sihombing sees no serious contenders challenging Megawati’s position. “There is no one in PDIP with her level of influence and moral authority,” he said. “She remains a central figure not only within the party but also in the broader political landscape, as seen by Prabowo’s visit to her, not the other way around.”

The party, which won the most seats in the 2024 legislative election, remains a pivotal force in shaping the next government. Sihombing believes that a formal alignment between PDIP and Prabowo would significantly reshape the power dynamics in post-election Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Guntur Romli affirmed that PDI-P currently remains outside the government. “That stance hasn’t changed. Whether it does will be discussed at the congress,” he said.