Indonesia's First Vice President Born in the 21st Century? Gibran's Electability Among Millennials and Gen Z

There is a significant chance that Gibran Rakabuming Raka will become Indonesia's first vice president born in the 21st century. In Indonesia, there are an increasing number of millennial and Gen Z electors, with those aged 42 and younger classified as millennials and those aged 21 and younger as Gen Z.

In 2023, when the next presidential election is scheduled to take place, these two generations will account for 47.7% of the voting population, a significant portion of the electorate.

Gibran Rakabuming Raka is the only candidate for vice president from the millennial generation. According to data from July 2023, the new research study by LSI Denny JA (Aug 14, 2023) observes that Gibran's recognition and popularity are already high. If Gibran were to become Prabowo Subianto's running partner, their electability would exceed that of other potential pairings, including Ganjar Pranowo - Sandiaga Uno and Anies Baswedan - Agus Harimurti.

According to the study, Prabowo Subianto is the most popular presidential candidate at present. Regardless of who Prabowo's running companion is, the pair remains highly electable. This could be due to the fact that voters are more interested in the presidential candidate than the vice presidential candidate.

The study then presents simulation data regarding possible presidential and vice-presidential pairings. Despite the pairing, it is noted that Prabowo Subianto remains the most favored presidential candidate. This may be due to his strong reputation as a leader and his experience in previous elections.

While electability is essential, it may not be the determining factor in the election's outcome. Other important factors include campaign strategy, messaging, and voter turnout. Gibran Rakabuming Raka's popularity among millennials may make him a formidable candidate, but his lack of political experience may be a disadvantage.

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Archipelago Insight, 2023