Prabowo Approval Sinks Below 50% as Economic Gloom Grows

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since he took office, amid public concern about rising living costs and perceptions of worsening corruption in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

Public satisfaction with Prabowo fell to 44.5% in October, from about 51% in July and 81% in November 2025, according to a survey released Friday by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting.

The decline comes amid growing economic pessimism two years into Prabowo’s tenure, with 51% of respondents describing national economic conditions as bad or very bad. Rising living costs and corruption were cited as the country’s most pressing problems by 30% and 27% of respondents, respectively.

“The sharp decline in satisfaction with the president is linked to worsening perceptions of the economy, politics and law enforcement,” Deni Irvani, executive director of SMRC, said in a statement.

The survey also found that 61% of respondents familiar with Prabowo’s flagship free-meals program, which provides food mainly to schoolchildren, were dissatisfied with its implementation. Of those aware of his initiative to establish cooperatives in villages nationwide, 71% doubted it would succeed.

The poll was conducted Oct. 1-10 among 1,213 respondents, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.