Indonesia’s election commission has officially declared Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto as the next president of the nation, confirming the unofficial counts that indicated his landslide victory over his two opponents.
The former special forces commander secured more than 58 percent of the national vote in the February 14 election and is said to have won 36 out of 38 provinces in Indonesia. His rivals, former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and ex-governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo, received approximately 25 percent and 17 percent of the vote, respectively, according to the official results.
The official results released by the General Elections Commission of Indonesia closely align with the unofficial counts reported on February 14, which are expected to face challenges from both the Anies and Ganjar campaigns.
In a speech to supporters at his residence in south Jakarta, the 72-year-old Prabowo promised to lead for the benefit of all Indonesians. He also reiterated his commitment to continue the economic policies of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, focusing on infrastructure development and foreign investment.
While Prabowo prepares for his inauguration in October, both Anies and Ganjar plan to challenge the election results in the Constitutional Court and explore other avenues for investigation. The ruling party, which supported Ganjar’s candidacy, has raised concerns about the election process and alleged abuses of power.
The run-up to the election was fraught with accusations of interference and irregularities, leading to doubts about the fairness of the electoral process. Election monitors have expressed worries about the independence of the election commission and the potential misuse of state resources to influence voter preferences.
These issues are likely to be investigated further in the coming months as the country grapples with the aftermath of Prabowo’s victory and seeks to address the concerns raised by various parties.