Founded as the successor to Partindo, the party's leaders were mainly left-wing nationalists who aspired to socialist ideals.
In 1931, Bonifacius Cornelis de Jonge became Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies and took a more hardline approach to Indonesian nationalist movements than his predecessor.
As part of the clampdown, non-cooperative nationalist leader Sukarno was arrested in November 1934 followed by Hatta and Sjahrir three months later.
[2] In 1936, a number of members of the Volksraad, the semi-legislative body of the Dutch East Indies, introduced the Soetardjo Petition, which asked for a conference to be organized to discuss autonomy for the colony.
The Dutch authorities responded negatively to the petition, and this, together with increasing threat from global fascism led a number of nationalists, including former members of the recently dissolved Partindo, to establish Gerindo (Indonesian People's Movement) on 24 May 1937.
In May 1939, Gerindo, along with seven other nationalist organizations, including Parindra and the PSSI, formed the Indonesian Political Federation (GAPI).
At the second Gerindo congress, which was held in Palembang from 1–2 August 1939, the party agreed to open up membership to ethnic Europeans, Chinese and Arabs.