“World’s largest direct election” Indonesian presidential election today voting

Voting for Indonesia's presidential election, which is said to be the world's largest direct election, will be held on the 14th. The issue is whether to continue the policies of incumbent President Joko Widodo, who enjoys a high approval rating, and the decision of over 200 million voters will be closely watched.

Three people are running

in Indonesia's presidential election, which is held once every five years

: Defense Minister Prabowo

, former Jakarta Governor Anis

, and former Central Java Governor Ganjar .

The constitution prohibits the incumbent President Joko Widodo from being elected for a third term, so the main issue in the election campaign is whether to continue or reform the policies of the Joko administration, which enjoys a high approval rating.

Of the three, Mr. Prabowo has declared himself President Joko Widodo's successor and will continue his policies, while Mr. Ganjar has also insisted that major policies such as the plan to relocate the capital will continue.

On the other hand, Mr. Anis has pledged to partially revise the capital relocation plan and rectify economic disparity, in an effort to garner votes critical of the current administration.

According to the latest opinion poll conducted as of the 5th of this month, Prabowo's approval rating is over 50%, far ahead of the other two candidates.

However, if no candidate receives a majority of votes, a run-off election between the top two candidates will be held this June.

Due to the two-hour time difference within Indonesia, voting will begin as early as 7 a.m. Japan time on the 14th, and votes will be counted on the same day.

Expert: “The framework of development policy will not change.”

More than 1,800 Japanese companies are operating in Indonesia, which has the largest population and economy in Southeast Asia, and attention is being paid to what kind of economic and foreign policy the next president will take.

Yuri Sato, an honorary researcher at the JETRO Institute of Developing Economies who is familiar with the Indonesian economy, said, ``The three development policy frameworks of infrastructure development, industrial development, and climate change countermeasures that have emerged during the 10 years of the Joko Widodo administration will not change significantly.'' , predicted that the general outline of the economic policy would remain in place no matter which candidate is elected.

Regarding foreign policy, she said, ``Our strategy remains unchanged, which is to seek to find bargaining power and competitiveness by striking a balance with any major power,'' adding that Japan will continue to strengthen its presence as a member of the Global South. I showed a deaf perspective.

Regarding relations with China, he stated, ``China's economic presence will continue to be strong for at least the next 10 years, and Indonesia will likely strengthen its ties with China.'' On the security front, however, he notes that Indonesia has established an exclusive He pointed out that since there is a conflict over economic zones, they will respond with a sense of caution.

Regarding the relationship with Japan, he stated that since Indonesia aims to become a developed country by 2045, ``I think the future is for Japan to work together as an escort,'' and said that he would like to work with Japan on measures to combat climate change. It says that cooperation should be promoted from a long-term perspective in areas where Japan has strengths, such as the advancement of industrial human resources.

Who is Mr. Prabowo?

Prabowo Subianto is 72 years old.

After a career as an army officer, he married former President Suharto's second daughter and supported the autocratic Suharto regime as the top military official.

At the end of his administration, he was stripped of his military status for his involvement in the abduction of democratic activists, but he used the connections he had cultivated during his military days to lead a huge group of companies and become a successful manager. I did.

In 2008, he formed his own political party.

He ran in the past two presidential elections, in 2014 and 2019, but lost in close races to President Widodo Widodo.

After the last election, President Joko Widodo, who is aiming to strengthen the foundations of his government, welcomed him as Minister of Defense, strengthening their relationship and supporting his second term in government.

This is his third candidacy, and he calls himself President Joko Widodo's successor, calling for the continuation of the policies set forth by the Joko administration, such as relocating to a new capital and improving infrastructure.

In addition, President Joko Widodo's eldest son, Mr. Gibran, who is 36 years old and is a local mayor, will be selected as his running mate, and he will appeal to the younger generation under 40, who make up more than half of the voters, by appealing to his friendliness. We are running a strong election campaign.

Who is Mr. Anis?

Candidate Anis Baswedan is 54 years old.

He became the youngest president of a private university in Indonesia at the age of 38, and was selected as one of the world's top 100 intellectuals by the American diplomatic magazine Foreign Policy.

After serving as Minister of Education and Culture under the Joko Widodo administration, he served as governor of Jakarta for five years from 2017, leading infrastructure development and urban transportation improvements.

In this election, they appealed for reforms to President Joko Widodo's policies, such as a partial review of the relocation plan to the new capital and correction of economic disparities, and sought votes critical of the current administration.

Who is Mr. Gunjal?

Candidate Gunjal Pranowo is 55 years old.

He is a native of Indonesia's third most populous province, Central Java, and served as governor for two 10-year terms starting in 2013.

In this presidential election, he is calling for the continuation and further development of the major policies of the Joko Widodo administration, such as increasing the added value of industries that utilize abundant mineral resources such as nickel, and plans to relocate to the new capital.

Mr. Ganjar was fielded as the official candidate of the largest ruling party, the Democratic Party of Struggle, to which President Joko Widodo belongs, but his support for President Joko Widodo has been reduced due to his closeness to the Prabowo camp, which has his eldest son Mr. Gibran as its running mate. It's a form of being deprived of.