"Local Going National”: The Rise of Provincial Outsiders to the Presidency in Indonesia and the Philippines  

Abstract

This study examines the political trajectory of Joko Widodo (Indonesia) and Rodrigo Duterte (Philippines) from being mayors (local) to being presidents (national). Unlike other top political leaders who were national figures prior to their rise to the presidency, Widodo and Duterte relied mainly on their tangible track records and charismatic leadership styles developed as local mayors. Post-authoritarian decentralization and democratization initiatives in both countries have enabled the “rise of the local,” resulting in the local now seen as a viable launchpad for national reforms. This phenomenon, termed “local going national” in this study, examines the factors and mechanisms through which local credentials became a compelling alternative in nations where traditional national politics had become increasingly discredited. Widodo and Duterte’s local political narratives played a pivotal role in their branding as “local political outsiders,” despite their connections with established power sources such as political parties and influential political clans.
 
The general objective of this study is to understand why and how the local is increasingly important in national politics and specifically the presidencies of Indonesia’s Widodo and the Philippines’ Duterte. This can be attributed to the intersection of three main factors: First, their rise to the presidency was propelled by the changes in political opportunities arising simultaneously in the local, national, and global spheres. The concurrent processes of decentralization and democratization have created an enabling space for the local that allowed many now-elected local governments to deliver services more effectively and collaborate with non-state actors. Their perceived local successes happened simultaneously with the “decline of the national” or the erosion of national legitimacy and growing demands and expectations for the national government to deliver more equitable development. There is also the advent of social media, which provided unprecedented opportunities for political participation and the global rise of anti-establishment populist politics. Second, Widodo and Duterte’s effective use of political branding that emphasizes “tangible leadership” in governance and “relatability” (enhanced by political authenticity, familiarity, and empathy of leaders propelled by mediatization: mainstream media and social media) through effective narrativization. The final critical factor was their reliance on traditional power sources despite their images as outsiders, such as their connection with political parties, political clans, and oligarchs in their respective countries, as well as other non-state actors (particularly the civil society).

Date of Award	6 Aug 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Mark Richard THOMPSON (Supervisor)