Jakarta witnessed two sharply different demonstrations on Saturday, 7 November, as hundreds of workers rallied in support of President Prabowo Subianto while hundreds of women marched through the capital against his government’s policies. The contrasting protests underlined growing divisions in Indonesia, where the president faces rising discontent over living costs, raging forest fires and weakening investor confidence in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
FAKTA
- What happened: Two rival demonstrations in Jakarta on Saturday, 7 November 2026 — workers backing President Prabowo Subianto and a women’s march opposing his policies.
- Workers’ rally: Led by Labour Party Chairperson Said Iqbal; supporters pledged to defend the presidency amid an alleged wiretapping row.
- Women’s march: Organised by Women’s March Jakarta under the theme “The State Oppresses, We Resist”, marching from the Sarinah area towards the Patung Kuda monument with nine demands.
- Wiretapping row: Four senior police officials have been named suspects in an alleged attempt to intercept the president’s communications.
- Background: Months of protests over populist spending, wildfires and the economy, including student rallies in the capital last week.
Workers Pledge to Defend the Presidency
The pro-Prabowo gathering brought workers from across the Jakarta region together in the capital, where they took a joint pledge to preserve national unity and protect the president. Said Iqbal, chairperson of the Labour Party, told the crowd that union members would stand behind Prabowo and resist any attempt to threaten his position. He said workers could be mobilised across factories and cities if unrest threatened national stability.
The rally came days after police named four senior officers as suspects in an alleged operation to intercept the president’s private communications. One of the suspects is a former police chief described as a loyalist of former president Joko Widodo. The case has exposed tensions between the current administration and its predecessor. Widodo has said he respects the legal process, while a lawyer for one suspect has promised to cooperate with investigators.
Women’s March Lists Nine Demands
At the same time, women’s rights groups and civil society organisations marched through central Jakarta, calling for stronger protection of women’s rights. The march moved from the Sarinah area towards the Patung Kuda monument.
Organisers presented nine demands covering economic justice, social protection, access to essential services, protection against gender-based violence and discrimination, reproductive health, freedom of expression and stronger safeguards for human rights defenders. Demonstrators also criticised the government’s handling of forest fires that have burned for months, the costly free-meal programme and a proposed tax on women’s sanitary products.
Pressure Grows on the Government
The two demonstrations reflected the wider pressure on Prabowo’s administration. His costly populist programmes have raised questions about public spending, while the wildfire response and a weaker investment climate have added to the criticism. Student rallies last week were the latest in a series of protests in recent months.
The government has not yet commented on Saturday’s rival rallies. For more international coverage, visit Watan News.
