The news
A feared former general won last month’s presidential election in Indonesia, official results released Wednesday showed, confirming unofficial predictions.
That candidate, Prabowo Subianto, who is now Indonesia’s defense minister, won 58.6 percent of the vote, according to the final report of the General Electoral Commission.
The result means Mr Prabowo, who has been on a visa blacklist by the United States for nearly two decades for human rights abuses, won the election, avoiding a run-off with the runner-up.
Although the official count is over, the process to officially declare Mr. Prabowo president-elect could be protracted. His rivals — Anies Baswedan, who had 24.9 percent of the vote, and Ganjar Pranowo, who got 16.5 percent — have said they plan to challenge the result.
They accuse outgoing president Joko Widodo of improperly influencing the election and allege widespread irregularities in the February 14 vote. They did not provide evidence of malfeasance on Election Day, but said they had evidence to prove their claims in court.
Mr. Prabowo’s representatives reject those claims, noting that almost every poll before the election showed him in the lead.
Because it matters
For many observers and critics, the election tarnished Indonesia’s hard-won reputation as a vibrant democracy.
The focal points of their displeasure are Mr Joko’s actions before the vote and how he used state funds to support Mr Prabowo, whom he beat in the previous two elections. Mr. Joko exerted his influence, they say, on a court that changed the law, allowing his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, to be Mr. Prabowo’s running mate. Then, they say, Mr Joko broke the rules by appearing to campaign for the duo and ordering social disbursements that helped their candidacy.
“There was no level playing field, which is fundamental to elections,” said Rohana Hettiarachchi, the president of the Asian Network for Free Elections, an alliance of independent election observers.
Mr Joko has denied allegations of wrongdoing, saying presidents are allowed to campaign and pick sides as long as they do not use state facilities. When he made these remarks, Mr. Prabowo stood by him.
Mr. Prabowo’s record has long upset many in the country. He was dismissed from the army after being found responsible for the kidnapping of student activists. questioned the need for democracy. and is known for his violent character and erratic behavior. During the campaign, Mr Prabowo insisted he was committed to democracy.
What’s next
Legal experts say it is unlikely that Mr Ganjar and Mr Anies will be successful in court if they go ahead with their plan to seek legal intervention. The Constitutional Court, which hears such issues, has never ruled in favor of plaintiffs challenging election results. For example, he dismissed Mr Prabowo’s claims in 2019 when he lost the election to Mr Joko.
Barring legal setbacks, Mr Prabowo is expected to be formally declared president-elect in the coming weeks. He will take over after Mr Joko’s term ends in October.
