Jakarta. Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka responded to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) decision to expel him, his father Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, and his brother-in-law Bobby Nasution, acknowledging the move with respect.

“We appreciate and respect the party’s decision,” Gibran said on Tuesday during an event in East Jakarta. Gibran explained that his departure from PDI-P was a personal decision, made to enable him to support President Prabowo Subianto as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election.

“This is my personal decision, made so I can focus on helping President Prabowo,” Gibran added.

While no longer affiliated with PDI-P, Gibran indicated that he would not rush into joining another political party. "Just wait and see," he said.

Meanwhile, Jokowi, who has already been courted by two of Indonesia's largest political parties, Golkar and Gerindra, is still weighing his next move. The Gerindra Party, led by President Prabowo, has expressed interest in welcoming Jokowi, though it is waiting for clarity on his political future. On Dec. 6, Jokowi met privately with Prabowo at his Jakarta residence, a visit that was described as nostalgic but void of political discussions. Golkar Party Deputy Chairman Idrus Marham also indicated the party’s openness to embracing Jokowi, though he confirmed that no formal talks have taken place yet.

The expulsion of Jokowi, Gibran, and Bobby Nasution from PDI-P officially marks the end of a political relationship that began with Jokowi’s early career. PDI-P supported Jokowi during his rise to national prominence, from his successful bid for mayor of Solo in 2005 to his Jakarta gubernatorial victory in 2012, and through his two presidential wins in 2014 and 2019.

However, tensions between Jokowi and PDI-P began to surface following Gibran's appointment as Prabowo’s running mate in October 2023, ahead of the presidential election. The Prabowo-Gibran ticket ultimately triumphed in February 2024, with Prabowo sworn in as president on October 20, 2024. Jokowi’s perceived support for Prabowo, rival to PDI-P’s candidate Ganjar Pranowo, was seen as a betrayal, especially considering Jokowi’s history with the party.

Adding to the strain, Gibran, who was previously supported by PDI-P in his mayoral race in Solo, further irritated the party by aligning himself with Prabowo. Similarly, Bobby Nasution, who won the Medan mayoralty with PDI-P backing, has since joined Prabowo’s Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), positioning himself to win the North Sumatra gubernatorial race, where he faces off against PDI-P's own candidate, Edy Rahmayadi.

Along with the dismissal of the three key figures, PDI-P also announced the expulsion of 27 other party executives.

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