Stressing the Congress That Will Decide NU's Fate, Gus Lilur: Nahdliyin Unity Is a Big Stake
Ahead of Nahdlatul Ulama’s (NU) 35th Congress in August 2026, calls for internal reconciliation are growing louder. Young NU figure Gus Lilur (Khalilur Abdullah Sahlawiy) sees this forum not just as a moment to elect new leaders, but as a test of whether NU can remain a big tent that unites Nahdliyin amid fragmentation and political tug-of-war. He emphasized the need for a unifying figure-calm, modest, and able to ease polarization.
Gus Lilur pointed out how NU’s history has given us figures like KH Ahmad Siddiq and KH Sahal Mahfudz, remembered for their example and their ability to keep the community together. He stressed that this kind of leadership is badly needed now, so the congress doesn’t get hijacked by electoral interests but instead becomes a space for reconciliation that rebuilds trust across groups.
PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf earlier warned against turning the congress into a stepping stone toward the 2029 elections. PBNU will try to prevent the forum from becoming an electoral political arena. The nomination rules don’t require candidates to step down from structural positions, but there is a ban on holding concurrent posts that must be followed.
The 35th Congress is scheduled for 1–5 August 2026, set during the 2026 NU National Conference and Large-Scale Deliberation at Al-Falah Ploso Islamic Boarding School in Kediri. For young cadres, this congress is a strategic moment to shape NU’s relationship with power and its internal consolidation, with hopes that NU will emerge more united.
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