Gerindra’s political leaning can be characterized as right-wing nationalism. The party promotes nationalism, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding Indonesia's sovereignty and interests. It also takes a firm stance on issues related to national identity and often promotes a robust, centralized government.

In terms of the economy, Gerindra has expressed support for populist policies, such as subsidies and assistance programs for low-income individuals and households.

Led by former general Prabowo, who is also a former son-in-law of authoritarian Soeharto, Gerindra believes that human rights are not above the law and its political manifesto treats any suggestion to establish an ad hoc human rights court as “redundant”.

Gerindra, an acronym for Great Indonesia Movement, was founded in 2008 as a political vehicle for Prabowo to achieve his lifelong presidential ambition, following in the footsteps of his former father-in-law Soeharto, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 32 years.

Backed by Prabowo’s populist and nationalist rhetoric, the right-wing populist party quickly gained prominence on the political landscape.

Marked by twists and turns, Gerindra's journey reflects the complex dynamics of national politics.

Origins and early years

To understand Gerindra's origins, we must revisit Prabowo's early political career.

After a disappointing outcome at the Golkar Party's presidential convention in April 2004, Prabowo served on the Golkar advisory board until he resigned in July 2008.

It was during this period that the seed that would become Gerindra was sown, thanks to the suggestion of Prabowo's younger brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who played a pivotal role in financing the party's advertising campaign on prime time TV.

Prabowo was subsequently appointed chairman of the party's board of patrons.

Gerindra set up its provincial-level campaign teams in February 2009 and quickly gained a sizable membership, boasting around 15 million supporters across Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

The party secured 4.5 percent of votes in the 2009 legislative election, earning its 26 seats in the House of Representatives.

The party's fortunes continued to rise in February 2011, when the Reform Star Party (PBR) merged with Gerindra.

The pinnacle of Gerindra's early success came in April 2014, when its share of votes surged to 11.8 percent in the national-level legislative election, nearly tripling its seats in the House from 26 in 2009 to an impressive 73 in 2014.

This remarkable growth propelled Gerindra to be ranked as the third most popular party in the country.

Following the death of Gerindra chairman Suhardi on Aug. 28, 2014, Prabowo assumed the role the following month on Sept. 20.

Prabowo’s cult of personality

Prabowo, a multifaceted national figure in politics, business and the military, has been at the heart of Gerindra's journey.

A son of Soeharto’s master economist, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, Prabowo graduated from the National Military Academy in 1970 and served in the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) until his appointment in 1998 as chief of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Notably, he was dishonorably discharged that same year and subsequently banned from entering the United States over allegations of human rights violations related to the abduction and forced disappearances of activists during Soeharto’s final year in power.

Prabowo has been described as a right-wing nationalist, a label that has shaped his political ideology.

His foray into national politics began in 2008 when members of his inner circle, including former student activist Fadli Zon, founded Gerindra.

He ran unsuccessfully for the vice presidency in 2009 alongside Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri. His defining moment came in the 2014 presidential election, in which Gerindra positioned itself as an opposition party and Prabowo contested the presidential race against former Jakarta governor and PDI-P candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Although he initially disputed the result, Prabowo's bid ended in defeat.

He made his second bid for the presidency in 2019, when he ran with Sandiaga Uno as his running mate on a Gerindra-led ticket backed by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Democratic Party and Berkarya Party.

His refusal to accept Jokowi’s reelection victory led to protests and deadly riots in Jakarta, primarily attributed to his supporters.

Not long after the 2019 election, Gerindra made a surprising move by joining the administration under President Joko Widodo's second term.

The unexpected political alliance saw Prabowo appointed as defense minister, the third most powerful position in Jokowi’s cabinet.

As Gerindra continues to evolve and Prabowo's political career unfolds, the party remains a force to be reckoned with in Indonesia’s political scene, making its mark through strategic alliances and an unwavering commitment to the party’s right-wing nationalist ideals.

Voted for:

• Omnibus Law on Job Creation 

• Capital City Nusantara (IKN) Law

• New and Renewable Energies Law

• Criminal Code (KUHP) Law Revision

• Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law Revision

• Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law Revision

• Sexual Violence Eradication Law

• Indigenous Peoples Law

Voted against:

None

Convicted high-profile members:

1. Edhy Prabowo

Edhy was the former maritime affairs and fisheries minister in 2019-2020 in the Jokowi administration. In 2021, he was sentenced to five years in prison for accepting bribes in a corruption scandal involving the export of lobster larvae. 

Before his ministerial appointment, Edhy represented Gerindra as chairman of House Commission IV overseeing agriculture, forestry and fisheries and as head of the Gerindra faction in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) from 2014 to 2019. He is also one of the most loyal members in Prabowo’s inner circle, maintaining a close relationship with the Gerindra chairman since they served together in Kopassus.

Gerindra Party members’ corruption tally: ^*

Rp 62.3 billion

Total amount of bribes received or taken

^* Information courtesy of BijakMemilih.id