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View all search resultsDissatisfaction with democracy hits record low under Prabowo
Public satisfaction has fallen sharply since Prabowo won the presidential election in February 2024, when 74 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with the state of democracy. By March 2026, the figure had dropped to 62 percent, before falling further below 40 percent in the latest survey.
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President Prabowo Subianto (right) and Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Agus Subiyanto (center), stand in an open ceremonial vehicle labeled 'INDONESIA 1' to review the ranks during the 81st TNI Day Parade in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Oct. 5, 2026. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
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majority of Indonesians are dissatisfied with how democracy is functioning during President Prabowo Subianto’s first two years in office, even as most continue to regard democracy as the best form of government.
A survey conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) from Oct. 1 to 10 among 1,213 respondents found that 56.5 percent were dissatisfied with the state of democracy, compared with 39.7 percent who were satisfied. The remaining 3.8 percent did not answer.
Public satisfaction has fallen sharply since Prabowo won the presidential election in February 2024, when 74 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with the state of democracy. By March 2026, the figure had dropped to 62 percent, before falling further in the latest survey.
“This is the lowest level of public satisfaction with the performance of democracy in Indonesia,” the pollster founder Saiful Mujani said on Wednesday, citing survey data dating back to October 2004, when Indonesia held its first direct presidential election.
Historical data from SMRC showed that satisfaction stood at 62 percent in October 2004, shortly after former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took office. It fell to 46 percent in May 2008 amid fuel price hikes and the global financial crisis, before rebounding to 76 percent after the 2009 election.
Read also: Analysis: How Prabowo controls criticism in Indonesia’s democracy
Despite growing dissatisfaction with how democracy is functioning, public support for democracy itself remained strong, with 69.7 percent of respondents saying it was the best form of government despite its shortcomings.
