*ONE YEAR OF DEDI MULYADI, SURVEY DATA ANALYSIS ON WEST JAVA PUBLIC SATISFACTION AT THE BEGINNING OF 2026*
By: H. Adlan Daie
Political analyst, Secretary General of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of Indramayu Regency.
The results of a survey by the survey institute “Indikator Politik” (published in “Portal Jabar”, February 28, 2026) on West Java public satisfaction with Dedi Mulyadi’s leadership at the beginning of February 2026 as Governor of West Java, were very high, at 95.5%.
Compared to the survey findings in the first 100 days of last May (2025), which were 94.1%, West Java’s public satisfaction with Dedi Mulyadi remained consistent, and even tended to increase, to 95.5% within the first year of his leadership in West Java.
How do we interpret the level of public satisfaction with Dedi Mulyadi in West Java, as described above, in the context of his first year as Governor of West Java?
In public opinion survey theory, the “approval rating” or public satisfaction level does not fully reflect a leader’s performance in technocratically completing programmatic agendas. This is also acknowledged by Dedi Mulyadi.
The reason is, of course, simply because one year is insufficient, and even illogical, for a leader to solve public problems technocratically in executing programs to fulfill political promises.
However, in a democratic system, as described by political scientist Francis Fukuyama’s theory of “democratic accinutability,” surveys measuring the level of public satisfaction with a leader are crucial:
First, the level of public satisfaction with a leader, although in survey theory “public opinion” does not fully reflect technocratic performance, clearly reflects public trust in the leader’s sincerity in managing public affairs, as assessed by the public’s policy choices, partisanship, and political behavior.
High public satisfaction is high public trust. This is the most valuable asset for a leader to strengthen the psychological drive of the institution they lead to change mindsets, improve performance, and public communication, accelerating response to public expectations and hopes.
Conversely, low public satisfaction, especially if it’s 60% or lower, according to public opinion surveys, will make it difficult for a leader to convince the public of their commitment to public governance.
Their influence will even weaken the institution they lead, which, in public opinion surveys, can be measured by the level of public trust or appreciation.
A public satisfaction rating of 60% or lower is a “yellow flag,” a reflection of public doubt about the leader’s ability and sincerity to work for the public good, and a lack of “exponential” policy breakthroughs.
This means that public policy execution must be swift and relational to public needs, not simply busy planning plans within plans, aka “omon omon.”
The above perspective aims to explain that in a democratic system, public trust in its leaders, whether they have performed convincingly or, conversely, are reflected in public satisfaction surveys, with all their attendant political implications and technocratic performance evaluations.
In other words, because leaders in an electoral regime are elected by the people, the dynamics of their leadership are also measured based on public satisfaction, not on one-sided claims, either pro or con.
It is in this context that we read the survey showing the high level of public satisfaction with Dedi Mulyadi, as mentioned above, in the context of his first year as Governor of West Java (February 20, 2025)—although of course, public satisfaction levels are dynamic, even fluctuating.
But at least this illustrates the current level of public confidence in Dedi Mulyadi as a leader, which can serve as a psychological injection to accelerate and correct the slowness of institutional sectors under his leadership in meeting high public expectations.
The epilogue question is, how does the level of public satisfaction with leaders impact future electoral trends?
Let’s wait for Dedi Mulyadi’s next policy choices to gauge the dynamics of public satisfaction and their implications for his electoral trajectory. **
Wassalam.
Indramayu, March 24, 2026
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