2019GantiPresiden is a Twitter hashtag and social media campaign in which Indonesian users share their disapproval towards the Joko Widodo presidency. The main purpose of this campaign is a constitutional effort to replace the current president through 2019 election. The hashtag went viral when it was used by PKS politician Mardani Ali Sera on Twitter. In English, the term "Ganti Presiden" literally means "Change President."
Background
In April 2018, Mardani Ali Sera, a politician from opposition party PKS, began to spread the hashtag in his social media accounts, with many social media accounts following quickly. Within a short period of time, T-shirts were already produced with the hashtag, with Mardani denying that the movement is a political campaign due to a lack of a supported replacement. The movement garnered significant support from other opposition politicians, including Amien Rais and Yusril Ihza Mahendra. Reasons cited include pressure on Islamic organizations, influx of immigrant workers due to relaxation of immigration rules and economic issues such as a lack of available jobs and increased prices of necessities.
Effect
In addition to the social media platform, the hashtag has appeared in T-shirts, hats, mugs, and banners shown in public places. Some users posted the pictures with the hashtag while visiting several cities overseas. In a speech, Joko Widodo mocked that the hashtag and T-shirt cannot change a president. PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto accused the movement of being a political move by the opposition and not an organic movement. In the 2018 West Java gubernatorial election, the hashtag was prominently used by the Sudrajat/Ahmad Syaikhu in their campaign to gain potential voters and significantly increased his electoral vote from 5-9 percent in survey polls to 27-30 percent in real count results, although the pair ultimately lost.
Rally
Some declarations and rallies supporting the campaign were made in several cities, such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Surakarta. Supporters also tried to organize rallies in Serang, but was denied permission from the municipal government. In addition, the West Java branch of the Indonesian Ulema Council decried the movement, calling them "provocateurs".
Aftermath
In May 2019, after the 2019 election had passed, Mardani stated that the #2019GantiPresiden movement had "closed its books".
