Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto Elected President
Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto has been elected as president of the world’s third-biggest democracy, according to the elections commission. He decisively beat two rivals who plan to file a legal complaint about the vote.
Election Results
- Anies Baswedan secured nearly 41 million votes, representing 24.9% of the total count.
- Ganjar Pranowo received over 27 million votes, accounting for more than 16%.
Prabowo’s Victory
Defence Minister Prabowo and his vice-presidential running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka received over 96 million votes, roughly 58.6% of the total count, securing a first-round majority.
Prabowo and Gibran, the eldest son of outgoing leader Joko Widodo, declared victory last month based on unofficial counts showing them winning a majority.
Transition Period
Prabowo, 72, is set to take over the presidency in October after a transition period. His popularity rose due to his nationalist speeches, strongman image as defence minister, and support from Widodo, also known as Jokowi.
Legal Challenges
Despite confidence from Prabowo’s legal team that any challenge to the result will fail due to his majority and significant margin of victory, local media reported on potential legal disputes.