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Great Indonesia Movement - Gerindra

Gerindra is the common name for the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Partai Gerakan Indonesia Raya). 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.

The two smallest of the nine parties to win DPR seats in the 2009 elections were new parties both founded by retired army generals with highly tainted human-rights records. The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra Party) is the political vehicle for retired Lieutenant General Prabowo Subianto, the son of famed economist and finance minister Sumitro Joyohadikusumo and the former son-in-law of Suharto. Prabowo competed unsuccessfully for Golkar's presidential nomination in 2004.

Prabowo had a particularly cruel reputation from his career in the Army Special Forces Command (Kopassus) and had been implicated in severe human-rights abuses in East Timor, the temporary or permanent disappearance and death of 23 prodemocracy activists in 1997 and 1998, and the Jakarta riots, as well as a coup attempt against newly installed President Habibie, in May 1998. Despite this record, Prabowo was able to convince three of the activists he is alleged to have kidnapped and tortured to run under the Gerindra Party banner, and the party won 4.5 percent of the vote and 26 DPR seats. Prabowo ran as Megawati’s vice presidential candidate, but they placed a distant second to Yudhoyono.

Prabowo, a former general, formed his own political party in 2008 and announced that he intended to run for president in 2009. The legislative elections took place in April 2009 and the presidential elections took place in July 2009. The party was founded in February 2007 and remained extremely small. It did have various offices around the country and was officially listed as a party by the Election Commission for purposes of the April 2009 legislative elections. In keeping with Prabowo's rhetoric, the party stood substantively for forceful nationalism and adherence to "Pancasila" (Indonesia's founding national code, which does not recognize any single religion but several). The party seemed well-funded and has already put slick advertisements on TV focusing on such themes as prosperity and agriculture.

To say that Prabowo had a controversial reputation is an understatement. As a high-ranking general in the late 1990's (including service as commander of Kopassus, Army special forces) and a close associate of the Suharto administration, Prabowo was implicated in serious human rights abuses that took place in Indonesia and East Timor. Due to his general unpopularity and on the run from various court cases, he went into self-exile in Jordan and Germany for several years. He re-appeared in time for the 2004 presidential elections, but he was defeated for the nomination of the Golkar party.

Prabowo, also is a former member of the Suharto family by marriage. In a connection which helped his military career immensely, he was married to one of Suharto's daughters, Titiek, before they divorced several years ago. Prabowo is believed to continue to maintain close links with some members of the Suharto clan. While Prabowo also has money (he is involved in several companies), these Suharto-related links are believed to be key for the funding of his party and political activities. Prabowo Subianto often took commercial flights to Bangkok to visit a Thai girlfriend who lives there. Prabowo had established a business venture for this woman, and the couple was close enough that they would marry if Prabowo were not worried about how having a foreign wife might affect his lingering presidential ambitions.

Prabowo is also known for choosing controversial associates. One high-level member of his party is Muchdi Purwoprandjono, a former intelligence official and high-ranking general (also a former commander of Kopassus) who has been charged with complicity in the murder of well-known human rights activist Munir Thalib in October 2004. Muchdi's trial began last week (see Ref A) and a conviction in the highly publicized case would likely severely impair any chances that Prabowo and his party might have in the 2009 election. Prabowo had very poor relations with another general, Wiranto, who was also running for president. Rivals for power toward the end of Suharto's long reign, the two had clashed repeatedly over the years, including in 2003-04 when Wiranto defeated Prabowo and became Golkar's candidate for president. Prabowo was also believed to resent Wiranto over what he considered to be the "selling out" of rank-and-file troops who were charged earlier this decade with human rights abuses in East Timor.

Though seemingly well-financed, observers did not think that Prabowo will make much of a mark in 2009. Prabowo was not seen as a particularly effective politician and his party was new and untested. In addition, he is basically competing with Wiranto for the same voters, i.e., those who want "a strong-armed leader" in charge again. All that said, Prabowo is a survivor with connections and money, all factors which indicate that he should not be completely counted out.

Jakarta governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) from the PDI-P won the July 2014 presidential contest against Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) candidate and former general Prabowo Subianto.