<![CDATA[Studies on populism in Indonesia have generally been dominated by narratives of identity-based polarization and demagogic rhetoric. However, the contemporary political landscape reveals a significant shift marked by the emergence of programmatic populism. This article analyzes how political actors in Indonesia adopt pragmatic and technocratic populist strategies to garner mass support. Unlike classical populism, which relies on ethnic, racial, and religious (SARA) sentiments, programmatic populism focuses on offering concrete and tactical direct welfare programs. Employing a qualitative analysis of social policies centered on the fulfillment of basic material rights, the article argues that this strategy serves as an effective instrument for penetrating and challenging the dominance of traditional patronage networks and oligarchic forces. The article concludes that programmatic populism not only transforms grassroots voter mobilization but also offers a crucial repositioning regarding the fulfillment of the lower class's material rights, moving toward a more technocratic institutionalization of welfare politics in Indonesia. ]]>
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