Aceh election staff distribute ballots and logistics to polling stations as part of preparations for local elections in Banda Aceh. (EPA Images pic)
JAKARTA: Indonesians vote on Wednesday to pick local leaders in the country’s biggest simultaneous regional election, in which President Prabowo Subianto seeks to consolidate his party’s gains.
More than 200 million people will vote to choose dozens of governors and mayors, and 415 regents, with some candidates linked to ex-leader Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, vying for coveted positions seen as paths to higher office.
“This regional election is very significant for Prabowo Subianto’s government because he needs to have his people at the regional level to ensure his government runs efficiently,” said Made Supriatma, a political researcher and a visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
Jakarta’s gubernatorial race attracts the most attention, with political parties viewing the position as a stepping stone to the presidency. Jokowi successfully won a presidential election after serving as the capital’s governor for two years.
Anies Baswedan, another former Jakarta governor, also managed to secure a candidacy in the 2024 presidential election, which he lost to Prabowo.
Jokowi’s former cabinet secretary Pramono Anung, running with one of the country’s most beloved actors, Rano Karno, is contesting the Jakarta gubernatorial seat.
Pramono is running against the former governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, who is backed by the largest party coalition and is endorsed by Jokowi.
“For Jokowi, this regional election will determine his political influence in the future, if the candidates he endorses lose in Central Java and Jakarta, his influence will diminish,” Made said.
Jokowi’s son-in-law, Bobby Nasution, is running in North Sumatra’s gubernatorial election.
The 33-year-old Nasution, currently serving as the provincial capital’s mayor, is the most favoured to win, according to surveys.
The only province in Indonesia that does not participate in the local elections is Yogyakarta, as the country’s cultural capital is led by a sultan who also acts as the governor.
