Key facts
- May Day demonstrations in Jakarta highlighted divisions within Indonesia's trade unions.
- Tens of thousands of workers rallied with President Prabowo Subianto as guest of honour.
- A separate rally of around 10,000 people was held under the banner 'May Day with the People'.
- The second group explicitly stated their refusal to be co-opted by the government.
May Day demonstrations in Jakarta last month revealed significant divisions within Indonesia's labour movement. One large rally at the National Monument (Monas) saw tens of thousands of workers gathered, with President Prabowo Subianto attending as the guest of honour. Several kilometres away, a separate demonstration took place at the People's Representative Council complex, drawing approximately 10,000 people. This second group organized under the banner 'May Day with the People' and explicitly stated their intention to avoid being co-opted by the government.