As the 2024 Presidential Election draws closer, spokesperson for the Golkar Party Tantowi Yahya, stated that the party may join the coalition with the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). The indication was apparent following a meeting between Golkar Party Chairman Airlangga Hartarto, Gerindra Chairman Prabowo Subianto, and Golkar senior politician Aburizal Bakrie.
Golkar is currently a member of the United Indonesia Coalition (Koalisi Indonesia Bersatu – KIB) together with the United Development Party (Partai Persatuan Pembangunan – PPP), and the National Mandate Party (Partai Amanat Nasional – PAN).
Meanwhile, Gerindra, together with the National Awakening Party (Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa – PKB) recently established the Great Indonesia Awakening Coalition (Koalisi Kebangkitan Indonesia Raya – KKIR)
One of the KIB members, PPP, had recently declared its support for Ganjar Pranowo, a presidential candidate supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan – PDIP). This move is believed by many to be a sign of the dismissal of the KIB and the alignment of PPP with PDIP.
In response to the issue, Golkar Party Chairman Airlangga Hartarto said that the party is currently in the process of assessing which coalition it will join. The assessment, as Airlangga explained, will be managed by a technical team led by Chairman of Golkar Party Central Executive Board Nusron Wahid. Airlangga did not provide a firm response to the issue.
On the other hand, Chairman of the Central Executive Board of PKB Faisol Riza, said that Golkar had agreed to join PKB when PKB Chairman Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, also known as Cak Imin, met with Airlangga Hartarto two days ago on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
“Golkar had a long experience in the government. Gerindra and PKB need that experience to move Indonesia forward,” Faisol said on Friday, May 5, 2023.
Faisol added that PKB and Golkar had each appointed a technical team to establish a coalition after PPP left the United Indonesia Coalition (Koalisi Indonesia Bersatu – KIB). Faisol will represent PKB as part of the team while Golkar will be represented by Nusron Wahid.
