Prabowo Bets on Mix of Indonesian Populism With Fiscal Restraint

Aug. 15, 2025, 12:19 PM UTC

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Friday laid out his vision for how he will lead Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, seeking to wield an aggressive use of state power for populist goals while pledging to keep in place financial guardrails.

Across two major speeches Friday, the former general stressed he’ll unapologetically use the power of the state to crush corruption and utilize its natural resources, while pursuing welfare programs in his $234 billion budget that he believes are key to driving economic growth.

“The strength of a nation lies in its ability to control and manage its wealth,” he told lawmakers ...

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