Ganjar Pranowo (L), Prabowo Subianto (C), and Anies Baswedan strike a pose for the cameras after the first presidential debate 2024 concluded in Jakarta on December 12, 2023. (Photo: ANTARA)
The candidates are Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, former governor of Central Java province Ganjar Pranowo and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.
Prabowo, who is considered the most potential presidential candidate, said that if elected, he will strive to maintain positive relationships with all global powers in line with Indonesia’s "non-aligned" foreign policy and pursue a "good neighbourliness policy". He also emphasised the importance of bolstering military power to defend the country's independence.
Meanwhile, Ganjar touched upon regional issues and said that it is essential to increase the navy's patrol activities.
For his part, Anies raised the issue of non-traditional threats such as a rise in hacking incidents, thereby pledging to strengthening cyberdefence structure. He is also committed to making Indonesia a decisive leader in the global setting through its soft power such as the arts.
Prabowo is ahead of his rivals in opinion polls since choosing Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of President Joko Widodo, as his vice presidential candidate.
Pranowo is in second place. Recent surveys suggest that Baswedan, in third place, might have a chance to beat Pranowo and be in the second-round runoff vote.
Indonesia will hold a general election on February 14, 2024. Nearly 205 million voters out of a total of more than 270 million people are eligible to cast ballots to choose a successor to President Joko Widodo. If none of the three candidates obtains a majority of votes in the first round, a second round will be held in June between the two candidates who receive the largest number of votes./.
