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What voters should look for in foreign affairs debate
As voters and other citizens gear up for the third election debate on Sunday, we need to start taking a closer look at the candidates' responses and how they match up to the qualities and kind of leader Indonesia needs in our next president on both the domestic and global fronts.
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Presidential candidates (from left) Ganjar Pranowo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan take part on Dec. 12, 2023 in the first televised election debate at the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)
The present constellation of the presidential election will continue to the third debate, to be held on Sunday. It will cover defense, security, international relations and geopolitics, a normally elitist conversation that will be aired nationally.
The last two debates filled social media with multiple slogans, policy promises and even unnecessary gimmicks. In the upcoming third debate, which is arguably more sensitive since it relates to foreign countries and Indonesia’s international image, it is hoped that the three candidates will offer more meaty policy concerns and directions.
All three presidential candidates are generally aware of international affairs, given their previous government positions or educational backgrounds. However, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is likely to be more knowledgeable when it comes to the challenges and policies related to national defense and security.
Hence, both Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo have also offered in their vision and mission statements some strategic defense and security solutions, which might challenge the current administration or at least bring more fresh ideas to the table.
With Sunday’s debate covering a wide spectrum of issues, many might be asking what we should expect from the three candidates, how their statements are relevant to our lives, or in what ways we can understand which policy direction is better for our country.
Although it will lead to personal justification and relevance, I will try to bring you to a logical understanding of how to review the debate on foreign affairs.
It is important to see which candidates know how to synergize domestic and international interests. Expectedly, there might be some narratives prioritizing domestic benefits and becoming more inward looking. This is usually essential to attract voters, along with more additional populist approaches.
