Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's approval rating has fallen to 51.1% in July 2026, according to a new poll, with growing concern over the country's economic situation emerging as the main driver of declining public support.
According to a survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), Prabowo's approval rating has fallen sharply from 81.2% in November 2025 and 66.4% in a poll conducted between late February and early March.
SMRC Executive Director Deni Irvani said public concern over worsening economic conditions was the biggest factor behind the decline in satisfaction with the president's performance.
"Public perceptions of a deteriorating national economy were the main factor behind the decline in satisfaction with his performance," Irvani said during a livestreamed press conference.
Nearly half of those surveyed, or 49.4%, described Indonesia's economic conditions as "bad" or "very bad". Only 15.7% said the economy was performing well, compared with 40% who held a positive view in November.
Irvani said the findings reflected concerns raised by some economists that official economic growth figures do not always match people's day-to-day experience of financial wellbeing.
The survey also found that dissatisfaction with the political situation and law enforcement had contributed to Prabowo's declining popularity.
According to the poll, 42.8% of respondents rated Prabowo's handling of political issues as "bad" or "very bad", a sharp increase from 23% in November.
Meanwhile, approval of his handling of political affairs fell to 13.5%, down from 35.8% previously.
Public sentiment towards law enforcement was also negative, with 37.6% of respondents describing the situation as "bad" or "very bad".
The survey gathered responses from 749 people between 5 and 19 July and has an estimated margin of error of 3.7%.
Prabowo took office in October 2024 after winning a landslide general election victory. During his campaign, he pledged to tackle corruption and expand economic opportunities by increasing annual GDP growth from around 5% to 8%.
However, his administration has faced mounting challenges this year, including a weakening currency, poor stock market performance, concerns over government spending and questions about the independence of the central bank.
One of Prabowo's flagship election pledges was a nationwide free-meals programme, launched in January 2025.
The initiative has encountered several setbacks since its introduction, and its budget has been reduced twice.
Despite those cuts, Indonesia's budget deficit is still expected to rise to 2.85% of GDP this year, placing further pressure on the government as it seeks to sustain economic growth and maintain public support.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN will submit a detailed report to the Security Council documenting what he described as I...
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Yemen's Houthi movement attacked Saudi oil facilities...
The United Nations will choose its next secretary-general this summer, with António Guterres set to leave office after two terms. Several candidates ...
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Saturday for Russia and Ukraine to freeze the conflict and return to peace talks, saying a negotiated settlement remained possible despite the entrenched positions of both sides.
Marvel Studios used its return to San Diego Comic-Con to reveal several major projects, including a new Ghost Rider film starring Ryan Gosling and the long-awaited Black Panther 3.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Washington next week as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East.
The United Nations will choose its next secretary-general this summer, with António Guterres set to leave office after two terms. Several candidates have entered the race to become the UN’s 10th chief, but the selection process remains shaped by negotiations among major powers.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the 2026 World Cup, accusing critics of focusing on negativity while overlooking what he said was a tournament that united people across borders and cultures.
Belgium recorded the highest excess mortality rate in Europe during the heatwave that swept across the continent in late June, according to EuroMOMO data cited by the Belgian public health institute Sciensano.
Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned of retaliation, after a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea killed a sailor on Saturday.
Officials in Russia and Ukraine reported new civilian casualties on Monday after a series of air attacks hit cities on both sides of the war
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment