Abstract

How will electoral undercurrents in Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, and East Java affect the electoral dynamics at the national level? What makes certain presidential candidates or political parties dominant in those regions? By mid-January 2024, several surveys showed Prabowo Subianto – Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s electability hovering between 46% to 48% and Anies Baswedan – Muhaimin Iskandar and Ganjar Pranowo – Mahfud MD both roughly around 22% to 25%. These surveys also indicated that it is still possible for voters to shift their presidential candidate choice. This webinar aims to provide the latest information on the electoral dynamics of key electoral battlegrounds in Sumatra as well as three most populous provinces in Indonesia: West Java, Central Java, and East Java. Analysis of these regions will be critical due to the size of the voting electorate in these two large islands. The webinar will also focus on the strategies of the presidential candidates and political parties to attract the voters in Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, and East Java.

About the Speakers

Sayed Fauzan Riyadi is the Executive Director of Center for Southeast Asia and Border Management Studies, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University in Riau Islands Province, Indonesia. He obtained his doctoral degree in International Relations from Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia. His main research areas are maritime security governance and local politics in Indonesia, primarily Riau Islands Province. Dr Riyadi has conducted research collaborations on politics and security issues with several institutions

Rizka Halida is an Associate Professor at Faculty of Psychology, the University of Indonesia and a researcher at Indikator Politik Indonesia. Since 2012, Dr Halida has been involved in many public opinion surveys on voting behaviour, political participation, and democracy, as well as other political and social behaviour topics, such as intergroup relations, religious conservatism, corruption, and media behaviour in Indonesia. She is an expert in quantitative research design, such as population-based survey experiment and quasi-experimental design.