As an opening, the FactMeter Team extends congratulations on the one-year anniversary of the leadership of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, and the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, on October 20, 2025.
During this period, a number of the government’s priority programs have begun to materialize, while others remain in the early stages of implementation. The performance of Prabowo–Gibran has received positive public appraisal.
According to a survey by Poltracking Indonesia, public satisfaction with the government’s performance reached 78.1 percent, while 19.3 percent expressed dissatisfaction. This figure is considered high for a new administration and far exceeds the 50.4 percent recorded during the first year of President Joko Widodo’s administration in 2014.
The high level of public satisfaction is influenced by various factors, such as decisive and authoritative leadership, relatively well-targeted government aid distribution, the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, strengthened anti-corruption efforts, improved healthcare access, and stable prices of basic commodities.
Meanwhile, groups expressing dissatisfaction point to the still-unstable economy, social assistance (bansos) that remains uneven, emerging corruption cases, high prices of basic goods, and limited job creation.
The Poltracking survey was conducted from October 3–10, 2025, involving 1,220 respondents through face-to-face interviews, using a multistage random sampling method with a margin of error of ±2.9 percent and a confidence level of 95 percent.
In addition to measuring satisfaction levels, the survey also noted that 37.9 percent of respondents believed President Prabowo should conduct a cabinet reshuffle, while 26.4 percent said it was unnecessary. The sectors viewed as needing reshuffling included economy, law and human rights, immigration and corrections, food, infrastructure, and politics and security.
The main reasons behind these views were the unsatisfactory performance of several ministers. The survey also cited specific reasons for a reshuffle: abuse of office, mismatch between position and ministry field, holding dual roles as party leaders, and lack of direct engagement with the public.
Since their inauguration on October 20, 2024, President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran have conducted three cabinet reshuffles. The most recent was the replacement of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati with Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa.
Research by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) also identified ten lowest-performing officialsrecommended for replacement. Among them were Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Head of the National Nutrition Agency Dadan Hindayana, Minister of Law and Human Rights Natalius Pigai, and Minister of Culture Fadli Zon.
Although the Prabowo–Gibran administration has carried forward the spirit of continuity from its predecessor, it has begun charting a new economic direction emphasizing programs directly focused on public welfare, rather than merely physical infrastructure as in the Joko Widodo era.
However, there remain several notes of concern from civil society groups. The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) observed that the government’s legal policies over the past year have not fully addressed key issues such as overcrowding in prisons and detention centers.
ICJR also highlighted that law enforcement practices remain vulnerable to abuse of power, particularly in cases involving environmental activists and civil society groups.
Unrest in the First Year of the Prabowo–Gibran Administration
Although public satisfaction is relatively high, the first year of the Prabowo–Gibran administration was also marked by major events that triggered public criticism and evaluation.
Mass Food Poisoning in the MBG Program
The Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program—one of the government’s flagship initiatives—came under scrutiny following mass food poisoning incidents among students.
As of October 5, 2025, data showed:
- Total cases: 11,660 poisoned students
- Total incidents: 119 cases
- Regions affected: 25 provinces (88 districts/cities)
- Most cases: West Java Province
This data was released by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. The government stated that it had conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s food distribution, storage systems, and field supervision mechanisms.
Waves of Protests and Riots in Late August 2025
Another major event was a nationwide wave of demonstrations in late August 2025, sparked by protests against housing allowances for members of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on August 25, 2025.
These protests later escalated into riots across several regions through August 31, 2025.
Summary of data:
- Number of demonstrations: 112 actions in 33 provinces
- Riots occurred in: 9 provinces (North Sumatra, Jakarta, West Java, Yogyakarta, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and West Kalimantan)
- Number of riot suspects: 959 people (664 adults, 295 minors)
- Total arrests: 3,195 across 15 regional police jurisdictions
- Cases of public facility damage: 154 cases
- Deaths: 10 people
- Estimated state losses: Rp150 billion
This incident was one of the first major tests for the Prabowo–Gibran administration in maintaining social stability and national security.
The first year of the Prabowo–Gibran administration reflects a high level of public satisfaction but also significant challenges.
The MBG program’s health issues and the nationwide demonstrations and riots underscore the ongoing need for policy evaluation and social stability efforts.
Moving forward, improving program effectiveness, ministerial professionalism, and consistency in law enforcementwill be key to maintaining public trust. (*)
References
- Survei Poltracking: Tingkat Kepuasan Satu Tahun Prabowo-Gibran 78,1 Persen. https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2025/10/19/18001461/survei-poltracking-tingkat-kepuasan-satu-tahun-prabowo-gibran-781-persen
- Usia Pemerintahan Setahun, Prabowo 3 Kali Rombak Kabinet. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20251016113518-32-1285170/usia-pemerintahan-setahun-prabowo-3-kali-rombak-kabinet
- Setahun Pemerintahan Prabowo-Gibran, ICJR: KUHAP Lemah, Kriminalisasi Makin Ganas!https://www.suara.com/news/2025/10/21/123340/setahun-pemerintahan-prabowo-gibran-icjr-kuhap-lemah-kriminalisasi-makin-ganas
- Kemenkes Catat 12 Ribu Kasus Keracunan MBG di Indonesia, Terbanyak di Daerah Ini.https://health.detik.com/berita-detikhealth/d-8154700/kemenkes-catat-12-ribu-kasus-keracunan-mbg-di-indonesia-terbanyak-di-daerah-ini
- Polri Ungkap 154 Kasus Perusakan Periode 25 Agustus-2 September 2025. https://databoks.katadata.co.id/demografi/statistik/68c280c4d34da/polri-ungkap-154-kasus-perusakan-periode-25-agustus-2-september-2025
- Ada 959 Tersangka Kerusuhan Demo Akhir Agustus, Terbanyak di Jawa Timur. https://databoks.katadata.co.id/demografi/statistik/68d4f8782cbe2/ada-959-tersangka-kerusuhan-demo-akhir-agustus-terbanyak-di-jawa-timur
- Klaim Kerugian Demo Agustus Capai Rp150 Miliar. https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/market/20251030183050-17-680855/klaim-kerugian-demo-agustus-capai-rp150-miliar
