JakartaPost-Dec 31, 2024
The 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. The accusations of interference also informed Jokowi’s acrimonious split with the PDI-P, his political vehicle for the previous two decades, sealed by his expulsion from the party earlier this month. Political analyst Yoes Kenawas dubbed Jokowi the “true winner” of the past year, given that he managed to pull off his presidential succession plan and leave office with a high approval rating and considerable political influence. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/12/31/politically-charged-year-comes-to-a-close.html.
