Tirto Sutikno
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Tirto Sutikno | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| President of the Socialist Republic of Kabu | |
| Assumed office 16 May 2015 | |
| Premier |
|
| Preceded by | Sunarti Riyanto |
| Minister for the Occupied Territories | |
| In office 8 October 2002 – 16 May 2015 | |
| Premier |
|
| Preceded by | Airlangga |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 January 1947 Kutha Pamungkas, South Kabu |
| Nationality | South Kabuese |
| Political party | Kabuese Section of the Workers' International (BKMI) |
| Spouse | Diah Haryono (m. 1960) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of TBD |
| Profession | Politician |
Tirto Sutikno (born 22 January 1947) is a South Kabuese politician who is the 5th and current President of South Kabu. First elected in a landslide in 2015, Tirto is the son of Sutikno Harjo, the 1st President of South Kabu. Prior to serving as President of South Kabu he served as Minister for the Occupied Territories from 2002 until 2015 and as a member of the People's Senate from 1980 until 2015. He was reelected in 2020 with a narrower margin.
Tirto was born in Kutha Pamungkas in 1957 whilst his father was already serving his term as President. He studied in Kirenia and Dezevau and entered politics in 1980 when he was elected to the People's Senate. He briefly left the Kabuese Section of the Workers' International (BKMI) in 1984 over a dispute with the party's leadership following the murder of his father and the 1986 South Kabuese coup d'état attempt. He rejoined the party in 1985 and was appointed as a member of the National Policy Group in 1986. In 2002 he became Minister for the Occupied Territories a position he would hold until 2015. As Minister he expanded his influence in South Kabuese politics and was seen by many as being the real policy decider after 2010.
Tirto was the leading candidate for the 2015 Presidential election which he won with 68% of all votes. In his first term Tirto pursued a hands-off approach to governing and delegated more powers to the Premier and Cabinet. Worsening economic conditions among the emerging South Kabuese middle class led to him narrowly winning re-election. Premier Cahyo Wibowo and a staunch ally of Tirto was replaced by hardliner Susilo Dwi. Susilo's hardline stance particularly regarding Inter Kabu relations led Tirto to adopt a moderate approach towards governing and calling for an end to the decades old Negara Darurat and to transition South Kabu into a Council republic.