Indonesia has been grappling with a marked reduction in the middle class in recent years, even as the Southeast Asian country strives to reach an economic growth of 5.2 percent in 2025.
At a recent hearing with the House of Representatives in Jakarta, the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) revealed that the middle class reached 57.33 million people, or 21.45 percent of Indonesia’s total population, in 2019, but then plummeted to 47.85 million people, or 17.13 percent, by 2024.
“Many people have faced economic difficulties during recent crisis, leading to a decrease in their purchasing power. The middle class now faces a greater risk of falling into the vulnerable group,” said acting head of BPS, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti.