Contesting Prabowo Subianto’s Polite Democracy, by Fadhilah Fitri Primandari – 11 April 2025

From The Diplomat

The Indonesian leader claims to support democracy, but only in terms of a stifling notion of national “unity.”

Waves of mass protests have swept across Indonesia over the past two months. In February, protesters from Papua to Sumatra rallied to protest President Prabowo Subianto’s free meal program and “efficiency” measures, demanded affordable education and protection of academic freedom, and called on the government to listen to “the people” (rakyat). Online and offline, thousands used the slogan #IndonesiaGelap (#DarkIndonesia) to express their discontent. These protests signify a continuation of last year’s August demonstrations, which rallied around the slogan #PeringatanDarurat (#EmergencyAlert) and rejected a controversial legal amendment that would have allowed the (now former) President Joko Widodo’s son to run in the gubernatorial elections.

More recently, since March 19, protesters have been taking to the streets of Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Malang, Karawang, Banda Aceh, Padang, Samarinda, and many other cities to reject the amendment to Law No. 34/2004 on the National Military (UU TNI). On March 20, the amendment was passed in parliament, expanding the military’s role in government and risking further erosion of the principle of civil supremacy. As of March 29, protests have taken place in at least 72 cities…

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