20-1-2025 (JAKARTA) President Prabowo Subianto has secured an impressive 81% approval rating in his first 100 days as Indonesia’s leader, according to a recent poll, surpassing his predecessor’s early performance by a significant margin.
The comprehensive survey, conducted by Kompas newspaper’s research division in early January, revealed widespread satisfaction among Indonesians with Subianto’s swift implementation of campaign promises and people-focused governance approach.
An overwhelming 94.1% of respondents expressed positive views of Subianto’s presidential image, highlighting strong public confidence in his leadership style. The president, who took office in October following a decisive electoral victory alongside Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has markedly outperformed former President Joko Widodo’s 65.1% approval rating at the same milestone.
Central to Subianto’s popularity is his ambitious free meal programme, launched on 6 January, which aims to provide nutritious food to schoolchildren and expectant mothers. The initiative, targeting nearly 83 million beneficiaries by December, has garnered substantial public support despite economists’ concerns about its fiscal implications.
The administration’s targeted approach to value-added tax increases, focusing solely on luxury goods and services, has also resonated with the public. Additionally, voters have welcomed Subianto’s healthcare initiatives, including promises of free medical check-ups and expanded hospital infrastructure, alongside planned educational facility improvements.
The Kompas survey, which polled 1,000 respondents between 4-10 January, indicates strong public confidence in the long-term sustainability of Subianto’s welfare programmes. This early success suggests a promising start for Indonesia’s new leadership, though economic experts continue to monitor the fiscal impact of these ambitious social initiatives.
