Indonesian presidential election results expected

Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo are challenging Prabowo Subianto’s election victory today. Despite the result being unofficial, Prabowo has c60% of the popular vote, with 80% of the vote counted in sampled polling places.

In events that hark back to the 2019 election controversy, irregularities in the outcome are being scrutinised by Pranowo’s legal team. Such irregularities include the Election Commission stopping the live count of the vote, allegations incumbent Joko Widodo influenced the election results by distributing government welfare resources, and the Constitutional Court’s exception of Prabowo’s running mate, Widodo’s son, being below the minimum age requirement to run.

The election on February 14 may see Prabowo’s pitch as a continuity candidate be successful. His exposure to the US military, paired with Widodo’s continuing influence over Indonesian politics with his son in power, should see a cautious approach to managing Sinocentricism and US relations in the short term. Expect continued protests and uproar over the alleged decline in electoral integrity, which may drive further instability in Indonesian politics and society. Should the election result be overturned by the Constitutional Court, Prabowo’s authoritarian stance may push the nation to further violence and disarray.