Joko Widodo << JOH koh WEE doh doh >> (1961-…), often known by the nickname Jokowi, became president of Indonesia in 2014. He is regarded as the first Indonesian to become president without ties to the country’s military or political elite. Supporters view him as a political outsider who supports the poor and wants to end government corruption. Jokowi belongs to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). He had previously served as the mayor of the city of Surakarta (also called Solo) and as governor of Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital.
Jokowi was born on June 21, 1961, in the slums of Surakarta. His father sold wood for a living. In 1985, Jokowi earned a degree in forestry from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. He worked for several years in a pulp mill in the western Indonesian territory of Aceh. In the late 1980’s, he returned to Surakarta and started a furniture-making business. His business grew, and he began exporting furniture throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. In 2002, he was elected to lead a local furniture manufacturers’ association.
In 2005, a group of business owners in Surakarta planned to sponsor a candidate in the city’s mayoral election to fight against government corruption. The group chose Jokowi as its candidate, and he won the election. Jokowi quickly became popular for working with the poor and supporting small local businesses. He won reelection in 2010, even though he declined to campaign, saying that he preferred to work.
In 2012, Megawati Sukarnoputri, PDI-P’s leader, asked Jokowi to run for governor of Jakarta. During his campaign, he became known for traveling to different areas of the city, often unannounced, and talking with residents about various issues. His campaign also used social media to connect directly with supporters. He defeated the incumbent governor and took office in October. He became known for making unannounced visits to check on the progress of government construction and development projects. His government introduced a citywide health care plan and education funds for impoverished students.
In 2014, Jokowi ran for president against Prabowo Subianto, a former general who was the son-in-law of former Indonesian President Suharto. Jokowi won the election and took office in October. He was reelected in 2019.
