From people’s champion to power consolidator: examining Jokowi’s role in Indonesia’s democratic backsliding

Since 2006, Indonesia has experienced democratic backsliding, a trend starkly illuminated by Joko Widodo's presidency. Initially celebrated for his potential to revive democracy following the 2014 presidential election, Jokowi's administration has instead accelerated a regression in democratic practices. This paper addresses and examines the exercise of presidential powers and the political manoeuvres through which Widodo has influenced Indonesia's democratic landscape and public administration. Grounded in a theoretical framework that revolves around three essential pillars of democracy (freedoms and human rights, horizontal power, and elections), our analysis utilizes process tracing to explore events, political strategies, and actions throughout both of Widodo's presidential terms (2014–2019 and 2019–2024). We identify a systematic consolidation of personal power, which has come at the expense of state oversight mechanisms. Our findings reveal that Widodo's direct involvement in public administration and his collaboration with the military have facilitated human rights violations and the suppression of critics. Furthermore, during his second term, Widodo has sought to entrench his authority beyond his presidency by pursuing constitutional amendments. This study underscores the need for vigilance amid escalating authoritarian tendencies through public administration.