SEA Daily — Indonesia, home to 270 million inhabitants in Southeast Asia and the world’s third-largest democracy, will choose its new president on Valentine’s Day next year. The race is a contest between Anies Baswedan, a former governor of the nation’s capital, Jakarta; Prabowo Subianto, a retired army general turned businessman and the chairman of the Great Indonesia Purpose (Gerindra) Party; and Ganjar Pranowo, a former governor of Central Java.
Anies, whose candidacy was supported by the minority coalition of the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and later Ummat Party (Partai Ummat), is paired with Muhaimin Iskandar, the chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB). The pair is seen to be favored by the religiously conservative in the Muslim-majority country.
Prabowo, has a strong track record, having twice challenged incumbent President Joko Widodo—or Jokowi—for the presidency, though he ultimately lost. Prior to challenging Jokowi, he had already been on the ballot as a vice-presidential hopeful in 2009, paired with Megawati Soekarnoputri, daughter of the first president, Soekarno, and the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP).
He is running with Jokowi’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming, the current mayor of Surakarta. This city is used to be govern by Jokowi before he made his way to become the governor of Jakarta in 2012 and then ascended to the presidential throne in 2014. Gibran, who is 36 years old, was allowed to be on the ballot after the constitutional court, led by Jokowi’s brother-in-law, ruled that candidates younger than 40 years can run for office if they have served in a regional position.
Gerindra is backed by a large group of political parties that stand behind Prabowo and Gibran, namely the Golkar Party (Partai Golkar), the Democratic Party (Partai Demokrat), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), and the Garuda Party (Partai Garuda).
While Ganjar, the candidate of the 2019’s election winner, PDIP, is paired with Mahfud MD, the current Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs and a former Supreme Court justice. The United Development Party (PPP), the Unity and Prosperity Party (Partai Perindo), and the People’s Conscience Party (Partai Hanura) are joining PDIP to support this pair.
The campaign is launched today and set to be on the roll for almost 3 months, with a quiet period of 3 days before the election on February 14, 2024. ()