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Politically charged year comes to a close
The curtains are closing on a big political year that saw a former army general rise to power and a “retired” president continuing to wield undue influence, setting up another year that promises to be anything but quiet.
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President Prabowo Subianto shows the ballot papers while voting at a simultaneous regional election in Bogor, West Java on Nov. 27, 2024. (AFP/Aditya Irawan)
T
he curtains are closing on a big political year that saw a former army general rise to power, a bloated alliance uniting disparate interests and a “retired” president continuing to wield undue influence, setting up another year that promises to be anything but quiet.
Indonesia made history this year by hosting its presidential, legislative and first-ever simultaneous regional elections all within the span of nine months.
On Feb. 14, more than 160 million voters headed to the polls to select Indonesia’s next executive and legislators, following a decade of fast-paced development that defined the Joko “Jokowi” Widodo presidency.
With the support of his predecessor and a big-tent coalition, Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto secured decisive victories in two elections this year that delivered him the presidency and an opportunity to consolidate power in the world’s third-largest democracy.
A majority of Indonesians voted for Prabowo over his rivals, Anies Baswedan, a former Jakarta governor who positioned himself as the voice of change, and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Prabowo ran alongside Jokowi’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, on a platform of continuity, while also introducing a few major campaign promises of his own, such as the free nutritious meals program.
Before the candidate pair’s victory was confirmed in court on April 23, their rivals launched accusations of electoral fraud and interference from the incumbent president, casting doubt on the integrity of the election.
