Islamic Populism and Symbolic Convergence in the 2019 Presidential Election

Muhtar, Saepudin
Burhanuddin, Jajat
Munhanif, Ali
Heryanto, Gun Gun

Jurnal Indo-Islamika
Vol 14, No 1 (2024)

This research reveals that both candidates in the 2019 Presidential Election engaged in Islamic populist movements in an attempt to garner sympathy and increase their respective electability. The symbolic convergence of Prabowo's campaign is evident in the institutional nature of the fantasy theme woven by his team, with actions that signify the fundamentalism of Prabowo's camp. In contrast, the fantasy theme constructed by Jokowi's team is notably moderate, as exemplified by the phrase "Jokowi Loves Santri," which gave rise to the narrative that Jokowi is a moderate figure. Consequently, a shared rhetorical vision was formed, positioning Jokowi as a moderate individual, with his disseminators acting more individually, unlike Prabowo's camp, which often coalitions with Islamic mass bases.