Yogyakarta. The decision by the United Development Party, or PPP, to nominate Ganjar Pranowo for president raises a question about the future of the coalition it established with two incumbent parties last year.

The PPP is part of the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB), which also includes the Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) – both have yet to name their pick for president.

PPP Chairman Muhamad Mardiono said on Wednesday he will soon meet with coalition partners to discuss the next steps.

“We will soon have talks with party leaders of the United Indonesia Coalition who have become PPP’s best partners in the past year and notify them about our decision,” Mardiono said.

Golkar said PPP’s departure did little damage to the coalition because the remaining two parties still meet the threshold of 20 percent of seats in the House of Representatives to nominate their own candidate for 2024.

"Golkar Party and the PAN remain consistent with our joint agreement and we both are qualified for the presidential threshold," Golkar executive Ace Hasan Syadzily told Antara news agency.

He said the coalition may nominate Golkar Chairman Airlangga Hartarto for president.

It’s not the first time that the PPP gives its support to Ganjar. The Muslim-based party was also part of a coalition that helped him win his second term as governor in 2018 pairing with PPP politician Taj Yasin as his running mate.

Ganjar’s wife Siti Atikoh Suryani is the daughter of a PPP executive.

“Historically Ganjar Pranowo is part of the PPP because his father-in-law, the late Achmad Musadik Supriyadi, was the head of the PPP Purbalingga district chapter from 1973-1991. He was also a councilor for five terms and a member of the MPR [People’s Consultative Assembly] representing the PPP,” Mardiono said.

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