The Rise of Dynastic Politics and (Limited) Democratic Countervailing Response — The Case of Joko Widodo’s Family —

Using the case of the political participation of former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his family members, this study aims to understand how and why dynastic politics in Indonesia have been acknowledged by the wider public and how they have transformed in the country’s newly established democratic settings. Political power in Indonesia has traditionally been recognized as being exclusively endowed to the ruling class, which is perceived as possessing divine authority. However, some exceptions can be found, as evidenced by the legend of Ken Arok, whose humble family background was overshadowed by his own achievements and justifications for securing power, which ultimately led to the establishment of Singhasari (1222-1292). Similarly, Jokowi, who grew up in a typical family of the “little people” (wong cilik), attempted to justify his personalized power transfer to family members by leveraging the overwhelming popularity of his achievements during his presidency. Jokowi’s gradual attempt to build his own political dynasty appeared to be successful until the election of his first son, Gibran, as vice president in the 2024 presidential election. Nevertheless, it soon faced unexpected harsh opposition from a range of pro-democracy forces, particularly student activists and intellectuals who were crucial in dissuading Jokowi’s second son, Kaesang, from running in the gubernatorial election. The forward but bumpy process of Jokowi’s power transfer to his family members indicates that the development of basic democratic components, particularly civil society, can exert at least a limited countervailing influence against the historically rooted illiberal and undemocratic practices of political elites.