DENPASAR, BALINEWS – The National Democratic Party (NasDem) is using its 15th anniversary as an opportunity to strengthen its internal organization and prepare for the 2029 General Election. In Bali, the party has set political targets that include establishing its own caucus in the Bali Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) and restoring its representation to three seats in the Denpasar City Council.
NasDem marked its 15th anniversary on Wednesday (November 11, 2026), under the theme Strengthening Restoration, Reinforcing Service. Rather than focusing on ceremonial celebrations, NasDem Bali organized various social activities aimed at delivering direct benefits to the community.
Secretary of the Bali NasDem Regional Board (DPW), I Nyoman Winatha, said this year's celebrations were deliberately kept modest as a reflection of solidarity with communities facing social, political and natural disaster challenges across Indonesia.
"Indonesia's current situation calls for collective concern. Therefore, we must do more to serve the community," Winatha said in Denpasar.
The anniversary activities in Bali began with a joint prayer at Pura Jagatnatha, followed by various programs conducted simultaneously at the provincial and regency/city levels.
The programs included free health check-ups, the NasDem Bugar fitness initiative, support for local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cultural performances, and political education programs for women.
Winatha said women's political education was among the party's priorities, aiming to encourage greater female participation in politics and public life.
"This political education program focuses on increasing women's participation and helping them take a greater role in politics and civilization. So, this is not merely a ceremony," said the politician from Jembrana.
At the national level, the main anniversary celebration was centered at NasDem Tower in Jakarta and was scheduled to be attended by President Prabowo Subianto.
Chairman of the Democratic-NasDem faction in the Bali Provincial Legislative Council, Dr. Somvir, said the party had made significant political progress during its 15 years of existence.
He pointed to NasDem cadres holding legislative seats and regional leadership positions across Bali as evidence of the party's development.
However, Somvir acknowledged that NasDem still needed to strengthen its political representation at the provincial level. Its main target for the next legislative term is to secure enough seats to establish an independent caucus in the Bali Provincial Council.
He emphasized that unity, mutual trust and strong coordination among party members would be essential to achieving the target.
"Politics is always fluid. Various possibilities can emerge, even at the very last minute. What matters is having good intentions, staying united and trusting one another. This party must be run with sincerity," Somvir said.
He also urged party members to avoid internal conflicts and focus on serving the public rather than pursuing personal or group interests.
Meanwhile, NasDem Denpasar legislator I Wayan Gatra acknowledged that the political landscape in the provincial capital presents considerable challenges for the party.
NasDem currently holds only one seat in the Denpasar City Legislative Council. Gatra said this situation had become an important point of evaluation as the party prepares for the 2029 General Election.
He has set a target of increasing the party's representation to three seats in the Denpasar City Council.
"I hope we can make progress again in 2029. Everyone understands that Denpasar is a challenging political battleground for NasDem. However, we will fight as hard as possible to increase our representation from the current one seat back to three seats," Gatra said.
To pursue the target, Gatra said he continued coordinating with the party's provincial and city-level leadership to encourage cadres to engage more actively with the community.
He also raised concerns about the parliamentary threshold, expressing hope that the requirement would not be increased further so that political parties could compete under fair conditions.
As NasDem enters its 15th year, the Bali chapter faces two major political objectives ahead of the 2029 General Election: strengthening its representation in the provincial legislature and increasing its number of seats in the Denpasar City Council.
Through sustained social programs and greater community engagement, NasDem Bali aims to demonstrate that its restoration agenda extends beyond political slogans and is reflected in concrete activities benefiting the public.
