The Lure of Power for the Sarong-Clad Community

Nahdlatul Ulama’s leadership elections have become an arena where religious authority and political access meet. At the organization’s recent congresses, the contest for the chair of its central executive board has involved more than a struggle over internal leadership.

Before the 35th NU Congress in Jombang, East Java, rival candidates visited senior clerics while also seeking support from voting delegates. Rumors of cash being distributed to regional officials circulated even before the five-yearly gathering began. Some candidates also sought the blessing of the presidential palace, a sign of how closely the organization’s leadership race has become tied to the state.

Those backed by the ruling regime do not always win, but they are generally strong contenders. Before the congress, several ministers and people close to President Prabowo Subianto reportedly worked behind the scenes to secure the election of a palace-backed slate. The palace was said to have promoted candidates for both the general chair and rais am syuriah, NU’s highest-ranking religious leader.

The commentary describes the relationship as mutually beneficial. A favored candidate gains an easier route to the top post, while the government gains support from a major Islamic organization. The article says the government seeks backing not only from political parties but also from nonparty actors, including Islamic organizations.

That dependence has weakened NU’s role as a counterweight to power, the article argues. It also points to a contradiction in current criticism of presidential influence: Yahya Cholil Staquf, the PBNU chair for 2021-2026, has criticized candidates for invoking the president’s name, although he was reportedly backed by President Joko Widodo five years earlier. Under Yahya, the article says, NU’s political pragmatism has become particularly pronounced.