The indication of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s first-round win in the direct local election for the governorship of Jakarta has come as a much welcome surprise to many. Jakarta’s people have been widely lauded for their increasingly mature approach to local democracy.

We now have the bright and rather optimistic prospect of a liberal local democracy in a nation whose own democratic profile is immature to say the least, amid the increasingly gloomy picture of direct elections.

Wait a second, is it really gloomy? I’m sorry to be the one to break this to you, but it probably is, yes.