Polls close in 2024 Indonesia election

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After ten years, Joko Widodo will step down as leader of the third-largest democracy in the world.
2024 indonesia election

Polls have closed at the 2024 Indonesia election, where more than 200 million people were expected to vote for a new president today.

After ten years, Joko Widodo will step down as leader of the third-largest democracy in the world. Indonesia’s two-term limit means he was ineligible to run again this year.

Indonesia’s general elections will also determine parliamentary and local government representatives.

It could take up to 35 days for the vote count to be finalised.

About Indonesia

Indonesia declared independence in 1945, after hundreds of years under Dutch rule.

It faced decades of political instability and accusations of corruption under President Suharto. Riots in 1998 caused the deaths of over 1,000 people and led to Suharto’s resignation after 32 years as leader.

A transition to democracy began after the riots, with measures added to reduce and diversify power, and create independent elections.

Presidential vote

Current Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto is considered the frontrunner to become President at Indonesia’s 2024 election. Widodo’s son is his running mate for Vice President.

However, there are concerns this will give Widodo continued influence over government affairs.

Prabowo is campaigning against two other key candidates, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo.

Candidates

The favourite: Concerns have been raised about Prabowo‘s ties to former President Suharto, who was his father-in-law at the time of the 1998 riots, and his own human rights record.

Anies: Governor of Jakarta from 2017 to 2022, Anies was a member of Widodo‘s cabinet and has the backing of conservative Muslim groups.

Ganjar: The former Governor of Central Java. He‘s the presidential candidate for the governing party, but Widodo didn’t formally support him.

Other votes

As well as electing a new president and vice president, Indonesians have also voted for who will represent them in parliament for the next five years.

This vote will be crucial to the success of the incoming president, who will need to work with parliamentarians to pass laws.

Today’s elections also included voting on local government representatives.

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