Indonesians head to polls for biggest regional election

JAKARTA: Indonesians ballot connected Wednesday to prime section leaders successful the country's biggest simultaneous determination election, successful which President Prabowo Subianto seeks to consolidate his party's gains.

More than 200 cardinal radical volition ballot to take dozens of governors and mayors, and 415 regents, with immoderate candidates linked to ex-leader Joko Widodo, known arsenic Jokowi, vying for coveted positions seen arsenic paths to higher office.

“This determination predetermination is precise important for Prabowo Subianto's authorities due to the fact that helium needs to person his radical astatine the determination level to guarantee his authorities runs efficiently,“ said Made Supriatma, a governmental researcher and a visiting chap astatine Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Jakarta's gubernatorial contention attracts the astir attention, with governmental parties viewing the presumption arsenic a stepping chromatic to the presidency. Jokowi successfully won a statesmanlike predetermination aft serving arsenic the capital's politician for 2 years.

Anies Baswedan, different erstwhile Jakarta governor, besides managed to unafraid a candidacy successful the 2024 statesmanlike election, which helium mislaid to Prabowo.

Jokowi's erstwhile furniture caput Pramono Anung, moving with 1 of the country's astir beloved actors, Rano Karno, is contesting the Jakarta gubernatorial seat.

Pramono is moving against the erstwhile politician of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, who is backed by the largest enactment conjugation and is endorsed by Jokowi.

“For Jokowi, this determination predetermination volition find his governmental power successful the future, if the candidates helium endorses suffer successful Central Java and Jakarta, his power volition diminish,“ Made said.

Jokowi's son-in-law, Bobby Nasution, is moving successful North Sumatra's gubernatorial election.

The 33-year-old Nasution, presently serving arsenic the provincial capital's mayor, is the astir favoured to win, according to surveys.

The lone state successful Indonesia that does not enactment successful the section elections is Yogyakarta, arsenic the country's taste superior is led by a sultan who besides acts arsenic the governor.