Jakarta – Indonesia's outgoing President Joko Widodo's approval rating has fallen to its lowest level in 2024 after a move by his allies to change election rules, a poll showed on Oct 4, although he remains more popular than during most of his 10-year presidency.
The survey of 1,200 people conducted late in September by Indikator Politik Indonesia showed that the approval rating of Mr Widodo – who is known more widely as Mr Widodo – fell by 7 percentage points to 75 per cent, down from the all-time high of 82 per cent in its July poll.
Mr Widodo had an average rating of 66 per cent in his first term and 71 per cent in his second term, according to Indikator's chief researcher, Mr Burhanuddin Muhtadi. His rating was 79 per cent and 80 per cent in January and February polls, respectively.
Mr Burhanuddin attributed the fall to public dissatisfaction over an aborted attempt in August by legislators allied with Mr Widodo to change a minimum age requirement for regional elections, which would have enabled his youngest son to run for a provincial deputy governor post.
Lawmakers abandoned the plan after heated protests in several cities, which included demonstrators storming the gates of Parliament before being driven back by riot police using water cannons.
Mr Widodo will on Oct 20 make way for his former rival and current defence minister, Mr Prabowo Subianto, to take over as president after his victory in February's election, which was helped by Mr Widodo's tacit backing.
Mr Widodo has served the maximum two terms allowed and his implied endorsement of Mr Prabowo was widely seen as a move to maintain influence and preserve his legacy.
It is unclear what future role, if any, Mr Widodo might play.
His overall rating remained high because a majority of Indonesians still perceived economic conditions under his administration to be relatively good, Mr Burhanuddin added, including its handling of inflation.
His government has also offered many incentives to the public, he added.
Mr Burhanuddin said although there was dissatisfaction about the state of the country's democracy, a majority of Indonesians understood democracy "in a simple way".
"As long as the economic conditions are good, people will be satisfied with the president," he said.