2024-03-21 17:44:15
Has requested unity Prabowo Subianto and his rivals have responded by challenging the election results. A hectic five-year period opens in Indonessia after the victory of a septuagenarian soldier with a shady past and Jokowi, the great figure of national politics, is now retired after his two statutory mandates. The results of the elections held last month, revealed this Thursday by the Electoral Board, are not far from what the polls indicated: an overwhelming victory for Prabowo with 56% of the votes that saves the country the second round.
“To all of you who have not voted for us, give us a chance. You will see that we will work as hard as possible for all the Indonesian people,” Prabowo asked. Only 25% of the votes were obtained by Anies Baswedan, former rector and governor of Jakarta, while 16% went to Ganjar Pranowoformer governor of Java province and leader of the Democratic Party-Struggle.
There is no shortage of protests loud protests of those defeated in the Indonesian electoral casuistry. Prabowo, without going any further, encouraged them after losing against Jokowi, his current ally, and those tumultuous days left eight dead. The current priority is to prevent them. More than 3,000 police officers had been deployed this Thursday in the most sensitive points of the capital, Jakarta, to prevent more riots of those that have led to demonstrations in recent weeks protesting against the alleged fraud. “A presidency born from a tainted process can only result in a regime with unjust policies,” Anies has claimed. He and his defeating partner, Pranowo, have announced that they will carry the irregularities to the courts.
Reform of requirements
Some of their regrets are understandable. Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming, was able to run as Prabowo’s number two because a constitutional court hastily reformed the requirements. The court was chaired by Jokowi’s brother-in-law so no one disputes the impudent rinsing. Nor did it seem coincidental that the Government, on the eve of the elections, showered some of the regions key to the results with rice, fertilizers, cash and other social aid. And accounting irregularities in some constituencies cannot be ruled out.
Those issues would be relevant with an adjusted result. With such a crushing victory, it seems nothing more than a sore loser’s tantrums. Elections in the world’s third largest democracy are an unlikely success: a country with 240 million people and 17,000 islands that span three time zones and with infrastructure and technology that can be greatly improved. The operation in that infernal logistics is resolved in one day. Mismatches are inevitable but few doubt the justice of the result.
The doubts about Prabowo’s biography are more legitimate. The brutal dictator’s son-in-law Suharto He has been accused of various human rights violations and in 1998 he was dishonorably expelled from the Army by the kidnapping and torture of pro-democracy activists who opposed his father-in-law. Thirteen of them are still missing. He is also blamed human rights violations and massacres with hundreds dead in Papua and Timor-Leste. Prabowo has denied the charges and has worked to polish his tough-guy image. His rhythmic swagger at campaign events was celebrated and the youth, who did not suffer Suharto, see him as an endearing dancing grandfather. Human rights organizations such as International Amnesty have warned of the risks to a country that undertook an exemplary democratic transition.
It will not be a harmonious legislature with a combative legislature. Prabowo lacks Jokowi’s left hand to solidify alliances that provided him with 80% parliamentary support. The strength of the Prabowo-Jokowi bond is also not certain. A look at the neighboring Philippines legitimizes the doubts. Ferdinand Marcos won the elections with the daughter of his predecessor, the rebellious Rodrido Duterte, as second. Two years have been enough to break that agreement between both political dynasties.
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