In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 17 October 1951
- Birthplace
- Jakarta
- Country
- Indonesia
- Nationality
- Indonesian
- Known for
- Winning the 2024 presidential election after careers in the military, business and cabinet
- Office
- President, since 20 October 2024
- Earlier office
- Defence minister, 2019–2024
- Political party
- Gerindra
- 2024 election
- 96,214,691 votes
Why this life matters
Prabowo’s return from a disputed military record to an overwhelming electoral victory connects the unresolved politics of 1998 with continuity, coalition-building and executive power in contemporary Indonesia.
Timeline
Key moments
Graduated from the military academy
Began a career that included command in the Kopassus special forces and Kostrad.
Military career ended
Left the armed forces after an officers’ council examined responsibility for the abduction of pro-democracy activists.
Helped establish Gerindra
Built the Great Indonesia Movement Party into a national electoral organisation.
Made a first presidential run
Lost a closely contested election to Joko Widodo and ran against him again in 2019.
Became defence minister
Joined Joko Widodo’s second-term cabinet after their presidential rivalry.
Won the presidency
Won a majority with Gibran Rakabuming Raka and was inaugurated on 20 October.
A military rise and a disputed record
Prabowo Subianto grew up partly abroad in the family of economist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo. After Indonesia’s military academy, he served in elite units and rose to command Kopassus and later the army strategic reserve.
His record remains contested by allegations of abuses in East Timor and responsibility surrounding the 1997–1998 abduction of activists. Prabowo has denied broader abuse allegations and was never tried in a civilian court; members of the unit were convicted, and his military service ended in 1998 after an officers’ council process.
Building a party and returning to government
After business activity and an unsuccessful vice-presidential campaign in 2009, Prabowo built Gerindra into a major party. He lost presidential elections to Joko Widodo in 2014 and 2019, disputing both results through political and legal challenges.
Jokowi then appointed him defence minister in 2019. The move brought a former rival into government, expanded Prabowo’s diplomatic profile and prepared the coalition alignment that shaped the next election.
The 2024 mandate
Running with Jokowi’s son Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Prabowo promised continuity in infrastructure and social policy while presenting a softer public image. The national election commission recorded more than 96 million votes for the ticket, enough to avoid a runoff.
Prabowo became president on 20 October 2024. His mandate is historically significant because it combines a large direct vote with unresolved questions about past accountability, democratic safeguards and the concentration of coalition power.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Prabowo Subianto
- Who is Prabowo Subianto?
- Prabowo Subianto is an eighth President of Indonesia. Prabowo’s return from a disputed military record to an overwhelming electoral victory connects the unresolved politics of 1998 with continuity, coalition-building and executive power in contemporary Indonesia.
- What is Prabowo Subianto best known for?
- Prabowo Subianto is best known for winning the 2024 presidential election after careers in the military, business and cabinet.
- When and where was Prabowo Subianto born?
- Prabowo Subianto was born on 17 October 1951 in Jakarta.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 8 September 2026.
