Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting put public satisfaction with Prabowo at 44.5% in October, the lowest since he took office. July sat at roughly 51%, while November 2025 registered 81%. The October poll, conducted Oct. 1-10 among 1,213 people, carries a ±2.9 percentage-point margin of error.
The downdraft comes alongside darker views of the economy two years into Prabowo's tenure in Southeast Asia's largest economy. In the survey, 51% said the state of the national economy was poor or very poor, while 30% pointed to rising living costs and 27% to corruption as the top problems.
"The sharp decline in satisfaction with the president is linked to worsening perceptions of the economy, politics and law enforcement," said Deni Irvani, executive director of SMRC.
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Views of flagship initiatives are also under pressure. Among respondents aware of Prabowo's free meals program - aimed primarily at feeding schoolchildren - 61% were dissatisfied with its implementation. Among those aware of his proposal to set up village-level cooperatives across the country, 71% believed it would not succeed.
Public satisfaction often mirrors household sentiment, which can shape policy priorities and how fast programs move. Focus on living costs and corruption highlights pressure on spending power and governance risks that feed into growth expectations, budget choices, and reform traction.
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