World’s Biggest Single Day Election: Indonesians Vote To Replace President

Indonesians cast their ballots on Wednesday across the Southeast Asian country in an election headlined by the race to succeed President Joko Widodo, whose influence could determine who takes the helm of the world’s third-largest democracy.

Nearly 259,000 candidates are contesting 20,600 posts in the world’s biggest single-day election.

The race to replace Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, pits two Former Governors, Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, against controversial frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander feared in the 1990s as a top lieutenant of Indonesia’s late strongman ruler Suharto.

Two surveys last week projected Prabowo will win the majority of votes and avoid a second round.

Those surveys showed Prabowo with 51.8% and 51.9% support, with Anies and Ganjar 27 and 31 points adrift, respectively. To win outright, a candidate needs over 50% of votes and to secure 20% of the ballot in half of the country’s provinces.

REUTERS