Despite having stepped down as Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo continues to cast a large shadow over the country’s political arena as speculation mounts about his future including the possibility of him forming a party.
After handing the presidency to his successor Prabowo Subianto in October, Widodo returned to his hometown of Solo, seemingly ready to take a break from politics.
However, ahead of regional elections in November, Widodo re-emerged and actively campaigned for candidates linked to Prabowo’s grand Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM).
In Central Java, Widodo was photographed riding a white, open-cabin jeep, joining a parade for Ahmad Luthfi, his preferred candidate who won the race to become the province’s governor. The ex-president reportedly distributed election T-shirts, including one that listed his achievements as a leader, to thousands of townspeople.
Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a political analyst with the Jakarta-based National Research and Innovation Agency, said the past few weeks have shown that “Jokowi remains influential,” referring to Widodo by his popular nickname.
“He was a kingmaker for some of the candidates who ended up winning,” Wasisto said. “He has the kind of popularity that can affect how people vote in polling stations.”
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