In Jakarta, Indonesia, Anies Baswedan, the losing presidential candidate, has taken his challenge to last month’s election to court, claiming that it was unfair and marred by interference aimed at favoring one candidate.
The former Jakarta governor criticized the election, which saw Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto win by a large margin, stating that there was pressure from the administration on regional authorities and the use of social aid as a “transactional tool” to ensure a specific outcome.
Prabowo secured 60% of the votes, largely due to his appeal to tens of millions of young Indonesian voters and his promise to continue President Joko Widodo’s policies after his decade in power.
Anies and third-placed candidate Ganjar Pranowo received 25% and 16% of the vote, respectively.
During the court proceedings, Anies warned that Indonesia, after two decades of direct elections, could be at risk of reverting to its authoritarian past.
He emphasized the importance of making corrections now to prevent such practices from becoming normalized in future elections at all levels.
The Constitutional Court is expected to announce its decision on the case on April 22, with challenges to election results being a common occurrence in Indonesia.
Anies’ team has urged the Constitutional Court to order a re-run of the election, excluding Widodo’s son from the vice president position on Prabowo’s ticket, alleging that his last-minute inclusion unfairly influenced the outcome.
Supporters of the president have defended him against accusations of using his position to ensure Prabowo’s victory, arguing that his actions were motivated by a desire to preserve his legacy after a decade in office.
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Martin Petty)
