May 27, 2026 | 02:18 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of Indonesians living in France welcomed President Prabowo Subianto during his arrival in Paris on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, marking his third visit to France in the past five months.Among those greeting the Indonesian president was Ruth, an Indonesian from Blitar who has lived in France for 23 years. She expressed her appreciation for Prabowo’s willingness to meet members of the Indonesian community abroad.“I am very grateful to President Prabowo for taking the time to meet Indonesians here,” Ruth said, as quoted in a statement from the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.“Bienvenue, President Prabowo Subianto,” she added, welcoming him in French.A number of Indonesian students studying in France also attended the gathering. During the meeting, Prabowo briefly spoke with several students, asking about their fields of study and encouraging them to continue pursuing their education seriously.“We thank the President for taking the time to speak with us, even though we are only students. It is not something we experience every day, so we feel proud and happy to have had the opportunity to talk with the President,” said Evelyn, one of the students.The students also expressed hope that relations between Indonesia and France would continue to strengthen. They said the close ties between the two countries have created tangible benefits for Indonesian students in France and opened wider opportunities to promote Indonesian culture internationally.“Thank you to the President for fostering a strong relationship with France. As students, we truly feel the benefits here, and we hope we can also help introduce Indonesian culture to the world,” said Syeril.President Prabowo arrived at Orly Airport in Paris at around 10 a.m. local time after a 16-hour flight.Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said the visit had been planned since last year and was rescheduled several times before finally taking place.“This arrival marks the beginning of President Prabowo’s state visit to France, which had been scheduled since last year and underwent several adjustments,” Teddy said in a written statement issued on May 27, 2026.At the airport, Prabowo was welcomed by French Minister of Labor and Solidarity Jean-Pierre Farandou, along with an honor guard ceremony. Hundreds of Indonesians also gathered at the hotel where the president was staying to greet him.According to Teddy, the state visit is expected to strengthen the strategic partnership between Indonesia and France, particularly as the two countries continue to expand cooperation across multiple sectors.“Indonesia currently has many strategic partnerships with France, and this visit is expected to further strengthen Indonesia’s position in Europe, particularly in France,” he said.He also described Indonesia and France as playing complementary roles in global relations.“Indonesia serves as one of Europe’s main gateways to Asia, while France is an important gateway for Asia, especially Southeast Asia, to Europe,” Teddy said.Before beginning his official state visit agenda, Prabowo was also scheduled to perform Eid al-Adha prayers and attend a gathering with Indonesians at the Indonesian Embassy residence in Paris, according to the Cabinet Secretary.Read: VP Gibran Prays Eid al-Adha at Istiqlal; What About Prabowo?
