Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto overhauled his administration with a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, placing ties with his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, under renewed scrutiny and repositioning key political figures, Asianews.Network reported.
The presidential shake-up strengthened representation for pro-government parties and brought more than two dozen figures from diverse backgrounds into the executive orbit. The sweeping changes involved moving several high-ranking ministers and senior officials to entirely new portfolios at the State Palace in Jakarta, according to the Jakarta Globe.
Bahlil Lahadalia and Sugiono Transition to Coordinating Minister Roles
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia transitioned to the role of coordinating minister for downstream industrialization and energy. Meanwhile, Sugiono moved from his post as foreign minister to become the coordinating minister for human development and culture. Arrmanatha was officially inaugurated alongside fellow deputy foreign ministers Muhammad Anis Matta and Arif Havas Oegroseno. The immediate and most pressing one is at the United Nations.
Additional adjustments across the executive branch included M. Sarmuji replacing Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita as the minister of industry. Retired Army General Dudung Abdurachman took the oath of office as the coordinating minister for political and security affairs, succeeding Djamari Chaniago, Tempo reported. Dudung’s prior position leading the Presidential Staff Office, or KSP, was subsequently filled by former National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
Managing the Legacy of the Previous Administration
The reshuffle strategically repositioned several names closely associated with Jokowi, keeping potential political rivals within the administration’s orbit rather than letting them consolidate power externally. Alongside Listyo Sigit’s move to the Presidential Staff Office, the changes also extend beyond the cabinet.
Yoes Kenawas, a political analyst from the pollster Lembaga Survei Indonesia, noted that the executive changes reflect a deliberate transition strategy. Prabowo is steadily establishing a trusted team while retaining figures linked to his predecessor to avoid premature opposition.
“This was not a complete purge of Jokowi’s people. Rather, it marks the beginning of a transition, with Prabowo gradually building his own team and placing people he trusts in more key positions, while keeping figures associated with Jokowi within his political orbit,” Yoes stated. He added that if Jokowi were suddenly pushed aside and took on the role of opposition, that would become a dangerous threat.
Reshuffle Manages Political Turbulence Surrounding Gibran Rakabuming Raka
The restructuring also addresses complex political dynamics surrounding Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Political analyst Arif Susanto from Exposit Strategic pointed out that the reshuffle helps manage potential turbulence stemming from an upcoming Constitutional Court ruling regarding Gibran’s eligibility and educational qualifications during the 2024 election cycle.
Activist Syahganda Nainggolan, who was appointed as the new chair of the government communications agency on Friday, publicly criticized Gibran’s vice presidential bid last month as a moral and ethical problem for the country.
While Jokowi defended his son’s educational background, political constellations continue to shift.
New Officials Take Key Roles Across Government Agencies
The wider restructuring involved numerous other figures taking on key governmental roles across departments and agencies. The full roster of appointed officials includes Drajad Hari Wibowo as deputy coordinating minister for economic affairs, Nurcholish Ibnu Aman as deputy finance minister, Luky A. Firman as deputy finance minister, M. Saleh Mustafa as deputy agriculture minister, and Irwan Meilanu as deputy marine affairs and fisheries minister. Dedy Prasetyo was named head of the National Agrarian Reform Agency, Aryanto Wibowo was appointed deputy head of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency, and M. Fadil Imran took on the role of deputy head of the North Coast of Java Management Authority.
The country looks toward the legislative calculations of 2029.
