Indonesia’s presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto gestures after casting his ballot during the country’s presidential and legislative elections at a polling station in Bogor on February 14, 2024. Voting commenced in Indonesia as citizens took the opportunity to elect a new leader for Southeast Asia’s largest economy, with concerns surrounding Prabowo’s human rights background.
In a significant turn of events, unofficial quick counts indicate that Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has emerged as the frontrunner in the presidential race after voting concluded. Preliminary results show him potentially securing a simple majority, with independent quick counts estimating his share of the popular vote at close to 60%, exceeding pre-election predictions.
The former Jakarta governor, Anies Baswedan, is in second place with just under 25% of the votes, while Ganjar Pranowo, the former governor of Central Java, occupies the third position based on snap counts from independent polling organizations.
With over 200 million citizens eligible, this election marks the sixth time Indonesia has held presidential elections since the end of its military dictatorship in the late 1990s. The implications for democratization and economic development within the nation are profound, as the results could forecast Indonesia’s potential attainment of developed status by 2045.
Official results are expected in approximately one month, with the winner set to succeed President Joko Widodo, who concludes his term after serving the maximum of ten years.
Anies expressed caution, stating that it’s too early to draw conclusions and highlighting reports of potential irregularities that may impact the election’s integrity.
Candidates in Indonesia’s Presidential Race
Anies Baswedan is backed by three political parties, including the secular Nasdem Party and the conservative Islamic Prosperous Justice Party. His running mate, Muhaimin Iskandar, leads the National Awakening Party.
Ganjar Pranowo is the nominee from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, partnered with Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin as his vice-presidential candidate.
Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra Party has nominated him as their candidate, with Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the current mayor of Surakarta and Jokowi’s eldest son, as his vice-presidential choice. This pairing reflects an implicit endorsement from the sitting president, even though no formal backing has been publicly declared.
The election’s framework requires candidates to secure more than 50% of the national vote and at least 20% of ballots in more than half of Indonesia’s provinces to avoid a runoff, which will occur if no candidate meets these criteria. Voters had six hours on February 14 to cast their ballots for presidential and legislative candidates.
Polling stations across the vast archipelago facilitated the voting process for over 204 million registered voters. Anies’s campaign emphasizes a commitment to bolstering Indonesia’s democracy, contrasting with Prabowo’s controversial military history, having been accused of human rights violations in the past.
Prabowo’s past as a special forces commander has led to serious allegations, including involvement in severe human rights abuses, but his reelection campaign has also capitalized on a more relatable persona aimed at younger voters.
