Indonesia under Prabowo—promises, protests, and power

Indonesia under Prabowo—promises, protests, and power

From Ear to Asia by Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne

November 12, 2025 · 52 min · Season 2025 · Episode 166

About this episode

The episode discusses Prabowo Subianto's first year as president of Indonesia, examining the political challenges and implications for democracy and foreign relations.

A year into his presidency, Prabowo Subianto stands at a pivotal moment in Indonesia’s political journey. Elected on promises of both continuity and change, his government has faced unrest in the streets, the dismissal of a long-serving finance minister, and questions over the strength of Indonesia’s democratic institutions. At the same time, Jakarta’s growing engagement with BRICS and its delicate balancing act between China and the United States are reshaping its global outlook. So, what does Prabowo’s first year reveal about Indonesia’s political direction? How resilient is its democracy under his leadership? And what kind of regional and global power is Indonesia seeking to become? Prof Tim Lindsey from Melbourne Law School and Dr Ian Wilson from Murdoch University join host Sami Shah to assess Prabowo’s first year in office, and its implications for Indonesia’s domestic politics and foreign policy. An Asia Institute podcast . Produced and edited by profactual.com . Music by audionautix.com .

People in this episode

Host: Sami Shah

Guests: Prof Tim Lindsey, Dr Ian Wilson

Topics covered

  • Indonesia
  • politics
  • democracy
  • foreign policy
  • BRICS

Keywords

  • Prabowo Subianto
  • Jakarta
  • China
  • United States
  • finance minister

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Indonesia, Jakarta, China, the United States

More episodes of Ear to Asia

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Ear to Asia podcast page.