JAKARTA: Millions of Indonesians will head to polling stations on Wednesday ( Nov 27 ) to elect 545 regional leaders across the world’s third-biggest democracy, an event analysts say will shape Indonesia’s political landscape over the next five years.
After a formal campaign that began on September 25 and ended on November 23, Indonesians did vote 37 rulers, 93 mayors, and 415 trustees.
The candidates largely hail from two political factions: President Prabowo Subianto’s 11-party Advance Indonesia Coalition or KIM Plus, and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri ‘s , Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle ( PDI-P). A majority are separate individuals.
In the event that Mr. Prabowo decides to get a second term, his chances of winning will likely depend on how well his policies and programs are carried out on the floor.
” If a ( regional ) leader comes from the opposition camp, then there is a high chance that region will not support decisions and programmes made ( by the Prabowo administration ) on a national level”, Mr Hendri Satrio, a political analyst from Jakarta’s Paramadina University, told CNA.
The elections are a chance for the PDI-P to rebound and remain related after Ganjar Pranowo, a former governor of Central Java, came in last with 16.5 % of the vote.
In February, Mr. Prabowo received 58.6 % of the vote, while former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan came in second place with 24.9 %.
The PDI-P, however, managed to secure the most seats in the parliamentary election held on the same day, Feb 14, and keep its name as the country’s largest group in , congress.
” The PDI-P may fight really hard not to drop the local election, particularly in regions known to be PDI-P heartlands”, Mr Hendri said.