Yogyakarta, August 14, 2026─Entering its eighth decade post-independence, Indonesia is facing a massive wave of changes across various strategic sectors. Responding to these dynamics, the academic community of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), together with several civil society elements, held a discussion titled “Republic Panel: Crisis, Transition, and the Future of the Republic” at the 4th Floor Auditorium of Fisipol UGM on Friday (14/8). This event, held in a hybrid format, is a manifestation of a joint effort between the Department of Sociology Fisipol UGM, Laboratorium Indonesia 2045, Forum 2045, and Nalar Institute.
The event was opened with remarks from the Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni of UGM, Dr. Arie Sujito, S.Sos., M.Si. The session was then followed by a presentation from Universitas Indonesia Professor, Prof. Francisia Saveria Sika Ery Seda, Ph.D. as the keynote speaker. Through a Zoom Meeting in front of the academic community, she stated:
“Indonesia is currently in an era of governance polycrisis caused by factors of reorganizing the political settlement through oligarchic consolidation, uneven state capacity, economic fiscal pressures, resource distribution conflicts, and weakening democratic accountability, resulting in a continuous crisis of legitimacy.”
To discuss these issues comprehensively, this discussion utilized the book Jam Pasir Indonesia: Menakar Masa Depan Indonesia dari Butir Kuasa dan Ketimpangan (Indonesia’s Hourglass: Measuring the Future of Indonesia from the Grains of Power and Inequality), compiled by Laboratorium Indonesia 2045, as its foundational reference.
The core panel session featured five speakers. The Head of LAB 45, Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, M.Hum., presented a discussion on “Crisis of the Republic: Formulating Indonesia’s Current State”. This was followed by a Lecturer from the Department of Politics & Government Fisipol UGM, Prof. Dr. Amalinda Savirani, S.IP., M.A. with “Transition of the Republic: Change, Uncertainty, and Historical Choices”; a Lecturer from the Department of Sociology Fisipol UGM, Dr. Andreas Budi Widyanta S.Sos., M.A. with “Reading Possibilities, Determining Directions”; and a discussion on “Capacity of the Republic: Prerequisites for Facing the Future” by the representative of Nalar Institute, Dhivana Anarchia Ria Lay. Finally, the representative of the UGM Student Union, Bintang Mesa, concluded the panel session with the topic “Future of the Republic: Agenda and Joint Efforts”.
The discussion was guided alternately by two moderators, namely the Research and Study Manager of Forum 2045, Wahid Nur Kartiko, and LAB 45 Political Economy Analyst, Indah Lestari Saani. The implementation of this Republic Panel is expected to serve as a pioneering step for sustainable collaboration between academics and civil society, as well as to safeguard the direction of Indonesia’s state transition moving forward.