Indonesia Elections 2024: Five issues that have hogged campaign headlines as Indonesians vote today
Some 204.8 million eligible voters in Indonesia head to polling stations on Wednesday (Feb 14) to elect their next president, vice-president, senators and parliamentary members.
For the first time in 15 years, the world’s third-largest democracy is seeing a three-horse race for the presidency.
The candidates are defence minister Prabowo Subianto, 72, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, 54, and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo, 55. Outgoing president Joko Widodo is not allowed under the constitution to run for a third term.
Voting starts at 7am and closes at 1pm across three time zones, and quick-count results are expected a few hours after voting ends.
The latest surveys indicate Mr Prabowo could secure over 50 per cent of the vote and win the presidency in one round, without the need for a runoff on June 26 betweenRead More : Six killed in Indonesia elections announcement clash, Jakarta governor says the top two candidates. That said, his rivals remain very much in the contest. At the same time, over 20,000 posts are up for grabs in the legislative elections and about 250,000 candidates have campaigned over 75 days between Nov 28 and Feb 10.
Who Indonesians pick to helm Southeast Asia’s largest economy will be closely watched in the region. CNA looks at five key issues that have shaped these elections.
DYNASTIC POLITICS
Although not on the ballot, Mr Widodo has cast a long shadow over the 2024 elections.
His older son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is the vice-presidential running mate of Mr Prabowo.
Although Mr Gibran, 36, did not meet the law’s requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates to be at least 40 years old, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court – chaired by Mr Widodo's brother-in-law, then-chief justice Anwar Usman – made a ruling days before candidate registration opened.
It ruled that people who have been previously elected to regional posts may participate in the presidential election regardless of age. Mr Gibran is the mayor of Surakarta.
Academics and civil society groups have spoken up against the latest sign of dynastic politics and its potential harm to democracy. Aside from BJ Habibie, the country’s third president, every Indonesian president so far has had at least one immediate family member who entered politics.
For the first time in 15 years, the world’s third-largest democracy is seeing a three-horse race for the presidency.
The candidates are defence minister Prabowo Subianto, 72, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, 54, and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo, 55. Outgoing president Joko Widodo is not allowed under the constitution to run for a third term.
Voting starts at 7am and closes at 1pm across three time zones, and quick-count results are expected a few hours after voting ends.
The latest surveys indicate Mr Prabowo could secure over 50 per cent of the vote and win the presidency in one round, without the need for a runoff on June 26 between
Who Indonesians pick to helm Southeast Asia’s largest economy will be closely watched in the region. CNA looks at five key issues that have shaped these elections.
DYNASTIC POLITICS
Although not on the ballot, Mr Widodo has cast a long shadow over the 2024 elections.
His older son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is the vice-presidential running mate of Mr Prabowo.
Although Mr Gibran, 36, did not meet the law’s requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates to be at least 40 years old, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court – chaired by Mr Widodo's brother-in-law, then-chief justice Anwar Usman – made a ruling days before candidate registration opened.
It ruled that people who have been previously elected to regional posts may participate in the presidential election regardless of age. Mr Gibran is the mayor of Surakarta.
Academics and civil society groups have spoken up against the latest sign of dynastic politics and its potential harm to democracy. Aside from BJ Habibie, the country’s third president, every Indonesian president so far has had at least one immediate family member who entered politics.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
