Prabowo To Seek Broader Parl't Coalition To Enact Policy-Econ Min

Reuters reporting comments from Cheif Economics Minister Airlangga Hartarto regarding the potential plans and policies of President-Elect Prabowo Subianto. Airlangga leads the centre-right big tent Golkar Party, the second largest in the House of Representatives and the largest of those that supported Prabowo's election. In the article Airlangga outlines Prabowo's intention to broaden his governing coalition, and his commitment to macroprudential measures and laws limiting public debt and deficits.

• Currently the pro-Prabowo parties comprise 280 of the 580 seats in the House of Representatives, just under a majority. The centrist NasDem Party, with its 69 seats could join the coalition after the Constitutional Court delivers its final rulings on election disputes. The report also claims Prabowo will meet with the leader of the soon-to-be opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the largest party in parliament. Airlangga: "The way I see it, there is little chance of existing parties not to negotiate joining the government ... Most of political parties in Indonesia are used to working within the government,"
• On the gov'ts fiscal outlook, Airlangga claimed that "We will manage the macroprudential side...We will follow the law: public debt cannot exceed 60% (of GDP), (annual budget) deficit ceiling at 3% (of GDP),". Prabowo's election promise of free lunches and milk for schoolchildren and pregnant women won broad popular support, but could cost USD28bn given Indonesia's large and young population. Observers will be watching closely to see if Prabowo maintains incumbent President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's fiscal discipline on coming to office in October.