Prabowo, Indonesia’s presidential candidate, solidifies lead in polls

2023 12 26T092257Z 1 LYNXMPEJBP050 RTROPTP 4 INDONESIA ELECTION DEBATE scaled
Indonesia's Defence Minister and presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto, gestures during a televised debate at the election commission headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana

Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s defence minister and presidential contender, solidified his lead in the polls following televised debates leading up to the approaching February 14th election.

According to a poll conducted on December 23-24 by Indikator Politik Indonesia, Prabowo, who is running alongside President Joko Widodo’s 36-year-old son Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is projected to secure 46.7% of the vote.

The survey identified former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo as Prabowo’s closest rival with 24.5% support, while former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan garnered 21% approval. A Kompas poll earlier in the month indicated Prabowo holding 39.3% of the vote, with Anies as his nearest competitor at 16.7%, followed by Ganjar at 15.3%.

Indikator conducted its survey post-televised debates between presidential candidates on December 12 and vice-presidential candidates on December 22.

A constitutional court decision in October cleared the way for Gibran to enter the electoral race, sparking concerns about the growing influence of dynastic politics in the world’s third-largest democracy.

During the televised debate, Gibran staunchly defended his father’s economic agenda, particularly emphasizing the development of the new capital city.

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