Indonesia kicks off election season

Indonesia officially entered election mode on October 19, with registration open for candidates keen to contest the upcoming presidential polls in February 2024.
Indonesia kicks off election season ảnh 1Ganjar Pranowo (right), presidential candidate of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), waves with his running mate, Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin, chief security minister, known as Mahfud MD (left), during their declaration in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 18, 2023. (Photo:antaranews.com)

Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesiaofficially entered election mode on October 19, with registration open forcandidates keen to contest the upcoming presidential polls in February 2024.

Nearly 205 million Indonesians will hit the ballotbooths on February 14, 2024 as the country is set toalso decide on members of its national, regional and city-level parliaments.

The race is expected to be dominated by three men,including Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, former Governor of Central Java province Ganjar Pranowo and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.

Candidates will also be confirming their running matesfor the election, ending months of speculation and political manoeuvring aimedat shoring up alliances and making inroads into new voter territory.

Ganjar, the president pick of the ruling IndonesianDemocratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), will be joined on his ticket by respectedformer judge and current chief security minister Mahfud MD.

Anies, who is trailing in opinion polls, is runningwith Muhaimin Iskandar, head of the country’s biggest Islamic party, PKB. Theparty has ties with Nahdlatul Ulama, a moderate Islamic organisation of roughly40 million members. Prabowa has not announcedhis running mate./.

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