Campaigning Islam : ideology, identity, and populist discourse of PPP and PKS in the 2024 Indonesia general election

Abstract

This study examines the Instagram-based campaign discourse of Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) and Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP) during the 2024 Indonesian general election. It focuses on how these parties construct religious and political identities and engage with populist discourse in the digital sphere. Drawing from the official Instagram accounts of both parties, the analysis covers textual content in captions and embedded text within images posted a month prior to and during the campaign period. The research adopts a qualitative interpretive paradigm, combining thematic analysis with the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) to identify thematic patterns and discourse strategies. The findings reveal that both parties employ a mix of strategic political communication, including informational, persuasive, and relational identity strategies, although these often overlap and produce tensions in meaning. While Islamic ideology and identity remain salient reference point, it is framed through varying degrees of religious nationalism, populist rhetoric, and programmatic and emotional appeals. It also highlights the intersection of religion, populism, and digital political communication in a competitive electoral environment. The research is limited to publicly available Instagram data from two Islamic parties, excludes visual semiotic analysis beyond textual elements, and does not constitute a theological or religious study. The research findings are: First, parties have framed the ideological shift toward post-Islamism. Both parties are moving away from Islamist programmatic appeals toward an electoral campaign that blends religious allusions with civic/programmatic discourse. PKS combines religious language with policy commitments and political activity, whereas PPP emphasizes normative religious discourse and symbolic appeals. Second, the political identity of the PPP is characterized as normative, whereas the PKS is identified as programmatic. An examination of nomination, predication, and topoi indicates that PPP constructs a normative political identity, underscoring moral guardianship, tradition, and symbolic solidarity. In contrast, PKS develops a critical identity, focusing on government critique, problem-solving discourse, and organized activism. For example, PPP focused on disseminating straightforward and practical information. PKS aims not only to provide practical advice but also to educate its followers about the party's programs and struggles. Third, the parties are transitioning their religious identity from a santri party to an ummah party, reflecting convergent yet distinct trajectories. Both parties continue to embody santri identities; however, campaign posts indicate a discursive reconfiguration wherein both aim to represent the ummah (the Muslim community) instead of specific santri subgroups. The last, parties employ populism differently. It appears that PPP populism is symbolic primarily and incomplete. Although not demonizing elites, the party employs emotive discourse and solidarity narratives. However, PKS strengthens populist arguments by linking moral and critical issues to regime failures to govern.