Prabowo Subianto (born 17 October 1951) is an Indonesian politician, businessman, and retired military officer who has served as the eighth President of Indonesia since October 2024. He previously served as the Minister of Defence from 2019 to 2024 under President Joko Widodo. Prabowo is the third Indonesian president with a military background and became the oldest person to assume the presidency upon his inauguration at age 73.
Military Career
Prabowo graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy in 1970 and served primarily in the Special Forces (Kopassus). His career advanced through various command roles, culminating in his appointment as head of the Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) in 1998. Later that year, he was discharged from the military amid allegations of human rights abuses, including involvement in kidnappings of activists during the transition from Suharto’s regime. Consequently, he was banned from entering the United States for several years due to these accusations.
Political Rise
>In 2008, Prabowo founded the Gerindra Party (Great Indonesia Movement Party). He first entered national politics as a vice-presidential candidate in 2009 alongside Megawati Sukarnoputri, losing to incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He ran for president in 2014 against Joko Widodo, initially disputing the results before accepting defeat. In 2019, he challenged Jokowi again but lost by a wider margin. Following this, he joined Jokowi’s cabinet as Minister of Defence, a role that helped rehabilitate his public image among younger voters through social media campaigns depicting him as a relatable grandfather figure (gemoy).
Presidency (2024–Present)
Prabowo won the 2024 presidential election in the first round with approximately 58.6% of the vote, running with Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of outgoing President Jokowi, as his vice-presidential candidate. He was inaugurated on 20 October 2024. Key policy priorities announced during his inaugural address included achieving food and energy self-sufficiency, continuing downstream processing of raw commodities (hilirisasi), and supporting Palestinian independence.
Response to Environmental Crises
During his presidency, Prabowo has faced significant challenges related to environmental disasters, particularly the recurring Southeast Asian haze caused by peatland fires. In late 2026, amid Indonesia’s worst fire season since 2015, which blanketed cities like Palangka Raya in orange smog and affected neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, Prabowo ordered additional resources to be deployed to fight the blazes. Amid growing criticism of the government’s response, he also appointed a new head of Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency. Critics, including peatland protection groups like Pantau Gambut, have pointed to deforestation and drained water tables as factors exacerbating the fires, estimating that 16 million hectares of peatland have become more fire-prone.
Controversies
Prabowo’s tenure has been marked by debates over democratic backsliding, given his authoritarian past and close ties to the previous oligarchic structures. His use of artificial intelligence in campaigning, including deepfake videos of deceased figures, drew scrutiny. Additionally, remarks made by Prabowo, such as referring to critics as “black foreigners” (londo ireng) or dismissing ethics with the phrase “God damn ethics” (Ndasmu etik!), have sparked protests from journalist associations and civil society groups concerned about free speech and political polarization.