The election campaign leading up to Indonesia's presidential election, scheduled for February 14, 2024, has commenced on Tuesday. It is set to last for 75 days, concluding on February 10, as announced by the Indonesian Election Commission.
"This is a significant moment as our fellow citizens and candidates come together to strengthen our commitment to conducting direct general elections fairly and transparently. We believe that the presidential and vice-presidential candidates will uphold peace and contribute to the development of Indonesia," quoted Nikkei Asia, citing Election Commission Chairman Hasyim Asyari.
Approximately 204 million people are eligible to vote in Indonesia out of a total population of 277 million. The voting age limit is 17, but individuals younger than 17 are permitted to vote if they possess an ID card obtained through marriage.
The candidate securing more than 50% of the votes will be declared the winner, and the presidential term is five years. The current president, Joko Widodo, has been elected twice in 2014 and 2019, with the constitution preventing him from seeking a third term.
About the candidates
In mid-November, the electoral commission registered three pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates for Indonesia's upcoming election. The main contender is Prabowo Subianto, the current Defense Minister, who previously lost to Joko Widodo in two elections. Prabowo Subianto is joined by Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 36-year-old son of Joko Widodo and the mayor of Surakarta.
The nomination of Gibran Rakabuming Raka faced controversy due to his age being below the minimum requirement of 40. However, the Constitutional Court allowed his candidacy, leading to public dissatisfaction and resulting in the dismissal of the court's president and reprimand of six other judges.
Another candidate is Ganjar Pranowo, a former governor of Central Java, representing the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. He is paired with Mohammad Mahfud, the coordinating minister for politics, justice, and security. The third contender is Baswedan Anies, the former governor of Jakarta, with Muhaimin Iskandar, the leader of the National Awakening Party, as his running mate.
Prabowo Subianto, aged 72, emphasizes goals such as sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, attracting foreign investment, and maintaining a free and active foreign policy to foster friendly relations with all states.
Polling data
According to an opinion survey conducted in November by Indikator Politik Indonesia, 40.6% of respondents are willing to cast their votes for Prabowo Subianto in the presidential election. He is followed by Ganjar Pranowo with 27.8%, and rounding out the top three is Baswedan Anies, favored by 23.7% of voters.
Earlier polls conducted in October showed Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo almost on par, with a gap of about 3 percentage points. However, after Prabowo Subianto nominated Joko Widodo's son as his vice-presidential candidate, his popularity began to rise.
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Photo: Amelia Guo/Creative Commons 3.0
Based on materials from TASS