JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – After an ugly presidential election campaign, Indonesia is set to declare the winner on Tuesday – but that may not settle a simmering dispute between the two candidates, both of whom claim victory.
Unofficial counts by eight polling agencies of the July 9 vote have given Joko Widodo, the popular and sneaker-wearing former governor of Jakarta known as “Jokowi,” a slim lead.
But Prabowo Subianto, a former general with a checkered human rights record who has drawn voters with his thundering nationalistic rhetoric, insists he has polling data showing he has won, raising speculation that he might may not accept the results if he loses.
The tension could threaten Indonesia’s fragile transition to democracy 16 years after it emerged from the long and brutal Suharto dictatorship. The country of 240 million is experiencing a slowing economy – the largest in in Southeast Asia – and needs leadership to tackle a rapidly crumbling infrastructure.
Once the Election Commission announces the winner, it is highly likely the losing candidate will appeal to the Constitutional Court, the country’s highest. Judges there will have two weeks to rule on any complaints before deciding who won.