After a close election, Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia wins the presidency with a majority in the first round
Wednesday saw the formal certification of Prabowo Subianto’s resounding victory in last month’s election, and he used the opportunity to deliver a uniting message.
The former special forces commander and current defense minister, who received over 60% of the vote, thanked the volunteers and voters who had gathered at his south Jakarta home. In spite of competitors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo’s imminent legal challenges about the election process, Prabowo emphasized the smooth running of the election and pledged to serve as president for all Indonesians.
He vowed to end inequality and poverty, saying, “We invite all Indonesians to look ahead in unity because our challenges are still huge.” He expressed gratitude to the widely-liked departing President Joko Widodo, often known as Jokowi, whose unspoken support enabled Prabowo to succeed on his third try. He presented himself as the “continuity candidate” to both investors and voters. He reaffirmed on Wednesday that he will follow Jokowi’s economic policies, which have brought development and prosperity to the G20 economy, which is worth trillions of dollars, by streamlining bureaucracy and modernizing infrastructure.
“We will work faster and harder to bring results to the Indonesian people as soon as possible, using the strong foundation he has built, especially in the economic sector,” he said. The newly decorated honorary four-star general, who has denied any wrongdoing, ascended to the highest position in the third-largest democracy in the world despite prior accusations of human rights violations while serving in the military. Younger voters gave him a huge boost in popularity, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok and when he selected Jokowi’s son as his running partner. It is anticipated that Prabowo will succeed Jokowi in October.
Prabowo’s partnership with Jokowi, whom he lost elections against in 2014 and 2019, raised concerns about the return of patronage politics in a nation that just 25 years ago made the transition from authoritarian to democratic government. Jokowi and his supporters refute accusations that they meddled in the election. Due to a last-minute modification in eligibility requirements, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 36-year-old son of Jokowi and Prabowo’s running partner, is expected to become the youngest vice president in history, according to a court presided over by the president’s brother-in-law.
Following the announcement of the results, Anies said that there had been anomalies in the election and that his legal team would challenge them in court. He said, “A regime with unjust policies will result from a leadership born out of a sullied process, with deviations, fraud.” He withheld information on the purported anomalies. Mahfud MD, Ganjar’s running companion, also said on Wednesday that his team was prepared to face the allegations of irregularities in court.
On Wednesday, Prabowo’s campaign team said that it was getting ready to file rebuttals and supporting documentation for the court cases. Additionally, the election commission said on Wednesday that the Golkar Party and Prabowo’s Gerindra Party secured the second and third places in the legislative elections, which were conducted on the same day, with Indonesia’s largest party, PDI-P, receiving the most votes.
