Asymmetric power relations in multistakeholder initiatives: Insights from the government-instituted Indonesian National Forestry Council

Waves of democratization, which occurred in Indonesia by the end of the 1990s, have provided opportunities to deepen and diversify broader civil society elements for engagement in formal public policymaking. In the forestry sector emerged a multistakeholder initiative of the National Forestry Council (Dewan Kehutanan Nasional/ DKN), which was envisioned to promote good forest governance by engaging the broader public in the formulation of strategies and policy options to foster intelligent forest management in Indonesia. The DKN was instituted to create a space for multistakeholder dialogues and learning, and was expected to become an influential body in national forest-related policy-making processes. Through the application of theories related to power relations in multistakeholder initiatives, this paper assesses whether the DKN functions as a deliberative and inclusive platform. The hope and expectation placed upon the DKN were sky- high. The DKN initially provided opportunities for the spectrum of public/governments, private sector organizations, and civil society groups to come together on the same table. It also drew support from many institutions at the national level and donor agencies. However, the DKN has later shown the unequal resources of participants and eventual asymmetric power relations. As a result, it fully facilitated deliberative processes due to the asymmetric power that subtly manifested through the stakeholders’ interaction patterns, which were heavily driven by the government. © 2023 The Author(s)