Indonesia unveils presidential candidates for 2024 election

In a press conference held on Monday, Indonesia’s election commission (KPU) revealed the three candidate pairs for the upcoming presidential election, set to take place on February 14. Anies Baswedan with Muhaimin Iskandar, Ganjar Pranowo with Mahfud MD, and Prabowo Subianto with Gibran Rakabuming Raka have been declared eligible for the race to lead the world’s third-largest democracy.

With up to 205 million voters expected to participate, the 2024 elections will determine the successor to President Joko Widodo. Subianto, 72, currently leads in opinion polls, securing a 39.7 percent preference among respondents, according to a recent survey by Indikator Politik Indonesia. Despite controversy surrounding his choice of Widodo’s son as a running mate, Subianto remains a formidable contender.

Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 36-year-old mayor of Surakarta city, joined Subianto’s ticket after Chief Justice Anwar Usman, Widodo’s brother-in-law, was disqualified over an ethics violation. This decision led to a modification in election rules, permitting candidates under 40 to run if they have held a regional position.

Ganjar Pranowo, initially favored as a candidate for Widodo’s Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), faces stiff competition from Subianto. Pranowo has selected chief security minister Mahfud as his running mate.

The third contender, Anies Baswedan, has garnered support from conservative Muslims and Islamist groups. His running mate is Muhaimin Iskandar, the chairman of the Islamist National Awakening Party (PKB).

While the official campaign period commences on November 28, the presidential hopefuls have already embarked on nationwide tours to secure voter support. The elected president is slated to be sworn in by October 2024, as confirmed by the elections commission.