On many occasions, President Prabowo Subianto has publicly stated that he welcomes criticism of his administration, emphasizing that governments require critical feedback, even when it is uncomfortable. Yet the situation on the ground suggests a paradoxical reality: criticism may be welcomed in rhetoric, but its public expression appears increasingly constrained.

While Indonesia has a multiparty democracy, the General Elections Law limits the number of political parties that can serve in the House of Representatives through an electoral threshold, which sets the minimum number of votes a party must win to gain a seat in the House of Representatives. In the 2024 general election, eight of the 18 contesting political parties met this threshold, one party fewer than the previous polls.

Indonesia’s economy grew 5.11 percent in 2025, slightly higher than 5.03 percent in 2024, but still below the government’s 5.2 percent target. Though the figure signaled resilience, it was quickly overshadowed by Moody’s decision to revise its outlook for Indonesia from stable to negative, citing governance concerns and policy uncertainty. The revision has renewed questions about the ambition of President Prabowo Subianto ’s administration to reach 8 percent amid the country’s longer-term goal of becoming an advanced economy.

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin stirred controversy after revealing that the Prabowo Subianto administration is considering a leadership reshuffle at state-owned banks, collectively known as the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara). The announcement was unusual, coming from a cabinet official whose portfolio centers on national defense. However, it reflects the increasingly visible role of the national security establishment in civilian, financial and economic affairs under the current administration.

The recent nomination of Golkar Party politician Adies Kadir by the House of Representatives to the Constitutional Court bench has ignited a long-standing debate regarding transparency, institutional encroachment and the potential erosion of judicial independence. As the court navigates an increasingly crowded docket of judicial reviews, the House’s selection process suggests a strategic shift toward prioritizing legislative discretion over constitutional oversight.

“When will you get married?” It is one of the most common, and often intrusive questions at family gatherings in Indonesia. Ironically, it is directed at the very generation that now dominates the country’s demographic structure: young people. As marriage is increasingly delayed, this cohort reflects broader structural and economic shifts reshaping Indonesian society. Declining marriage rates have been followed by falling fertility and birth rates, raising a deeper concern that Indonesia may enter an era of population aging sooner than expected.

As the government scrambles to shore up tax and excise revenues, a wave of corruption arrests targeting tax and customs officials has exposed deep governance problems within Indonesia’s revenue-collecting agencies. The Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) recent raids have prompted Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to carry out large-scale bureaucratic rotations at both the tax and customs offices. Yet questions remain over whether these measures can deliver lasting reform or meaningfully improve revenue collection.