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Indonesians go to polls in world's biggest single-day election

A woman votes at a polling station during the general election in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, February 14, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

By Foreign Reporter | 14 Feb 2024

Nearly 205 million people are eligible to vote in the polls across 800,000 polling stations with 20,000 seats up for grabs.

Polls in Indonesia opened on Wednesday for the world's biggest single-day election, with over 200 million voters choosing a new president after President Joko Widodo's decade-long tenure.

Nearly 205 million people are eligible to vote in the polls across 800,000 polling stations with 20,000 seats up for grabs.

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President Joko, the outgoing leader of the world's third-largest democracy, voted early in the morning in the capital Jakarta.

"Thank God, Mrs Iriana and I have participated in the General Election of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, as well as the DPR RI, DPD RI, Provincial DRPD and city DPRD," posted Widodo on his X handle.

He added this was a "democratic process that must take place with Luber-Jurdil (Direct, Public, Free, Secret, Honest and Fair)."

"I emphasise to all parties to follow the 2024 election mechanism, which also regulates if fraud occurs in the implementation process," noted Joko.

Neutrality

Interestingly, the outgoing President has chosen to remain silent on his preferred candidate, creating an air of neutrality.

However, there is speculation that he is quietly endorsing his former rival, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, for the presidency, drawing parallels to Kenya's political landscape in 2022 where former President Uhuru Kenyatta ditched his deputy, William Ruto, for opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Indonesia’s presidential candidates Ganjar Pranowo (c), Prabowo Subianto (l) and Anies Baswedan speaking during the first presidential election debate in Jakarta on 12 December. (Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images)

Intriguingly, Joko's eldest son, 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka, currently the mayor of Surakarta city, has been nominated as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Prabowo, a former bitter rival turned ally of his father.

The decision has sparked criticism, with some perceiving it as an attempt to revive a political dynasty in the world's largest island country.

The race features a three-way competition among a former army general and two former governors.

In Nairobi, Indonesian nationals voted last Saturday at the country's diplomatic mission in Kenya's capital anticipating today's main vote.

The overseas polling stations were opened earlier to allow the residents to vote.

However, the counting process will begin today after the electoral process is concluded.