Throughout Indonesian history, the title of First Lady (Indonesian: Ibu Negara, lit. 'Mother of the State') or, in an instance, First Gentleman (Indonesian: Bapak Negara, lit. 'Father of the State') has been used to refer to the wife or husband of the president of Indonesia. The constitution does not provide for the position in any sense, but it continues to hold significant influence in Indonesian society.
| First Lady or Gentleman of Indonesia | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Style |
|
| Residence | |
| Seat | Jakarta |
| Term length | 5 years |
| Inaugural holder |
|
| Formation | 18 August 1945 (78 years ago) |
| Website | www |
The current holder of the title is Iriana, wife of current president Joko Widodo. Taufiq Kiemas, husband of President Megawati Sukarnoputri, to date remains the only first gentleman.[1]
History
editIt is unclear when the role of Ibu Negara first developed in Indonesian political convention. Sukarno, the first president, was married to his third wife Fatmawati when he became president in August 1945. Sukarno then married Hartini in July 1953 on Fatmawati's permission. Hartini lived in Istana Bogor and also accompanied the president to official state duties and visit abroad.[2] Throughout his presidency, Sukarno married another five women, but Fatmawati remained the first lady for the remainder of Sukarno's presidency.
Siti Hartinah, Suharto's wife, occupied the role of Ibu Negara until her death in April 1996. Their eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana ("Tutut"), adopted her mother's responsibilities throughout the remainder of her father's presidency until 1998. From March to May 1998, she also served as the minister of social affairs.
Prabowo Subianto, who was elected president in 2024, is expected to be the first Indonesian president to begin their tenure without a first spouse. He married Tutut's younger sister, Siti Hediati Hariyadi ("Titiek"), in 1983, but they divorced shortly after Suharto's fall from power in 1998. However, Titiek was active in Prabowo's 2014 and 2024 presidential campaigns.[3]
List of title holders
edit| President No. |
Portrait | Name | Tenure | Age at tenure start | President (Spouse, unless noted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Fatmawati 5 February 1923 – 14 May 1980 (aged 57) |
18 August 1945 – 12 March 1967 |
22 years, 194 days | Sukarno |
| 2 | .jpg)
|
Siti Hartinah 23 August 1923 – 28 April 1996 (aged 72) |
12 March 1967 – 28 April 1996 (death) |
43 years, 201 days | Suharto |
| 3 | .jpg)
|
Hasri Ainun Besari 11 August 1937 – 22 May 2010 (aged 72) |
21 May 1998 – 20 October 1999 |
60 years, 283 days | Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie |
| 4 | 
|
Sinta Nuriyah b. 8 March 1948 |
20 October 1999 – 23 July 2001 |
51 years, 226 days | Abdurrahman Wahid |
| 5 | .jpg)
|
Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas 31 December 1942 – 8 June 2013 (aged 70) |
23 July 2001 – 20 October 2004 |
58 years, 204 days | Megawati Sukarnoputri |
| 6 | 
|
Kristiani Herrawati 6 July 1952 – 1 June 2019 (aged 66) |
20 October 2004 – 20 October 2014 |
52 years, 106 days | Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono |
| 7 |
|
Iriana b. 1 October 1964 |
20 October 2014 – present |
50 years, 19 days | Joko Widodo |
References
edit- ^ Sepeninggal Taufiq Kiemas ("After Taufiq Kiemas"), tokohindonesia.com, 19 June 2013. Accessed 1 June 2019.
- ^ Sitompul, Martin. Hartini, First Lady yang Tak Diakui ("Hartini, the Unrecognized First Lady"). Historia.id, 20 April 2018. Accessed 1 June 2019.
- ^ "Indonesia Elections 2024: No first lady? Frontrunner Prabowo's single status turns spotlight on 'state's mother' role". Channel News Asia. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.