Indonesian Defense Minister and Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday that he had chosen President Joko Widodo’s eldest son as his candidate in next yr’s elections.
The selection of 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuminga Raki, currently the mayor of Surakarta, because the vice-presidential candidate in February’s elections has sparked criticism that Widodo is attempting to create a political dynasty on this planet’s third-largest democracy.
“By consensus, all comply with support Prabowo Subianto as presidential candidate and Gibran Rakabuminga Raka as vice-presidential candidate,” Prabowo said in a press release outside his residence within the capital Jakarta.
When he made this announcement, he was supported by representatives of his party coalition called Advanced Indonesia.
This followed a controversial court decision this week that stated that anyone elected to public office could run for president and vp. This ruling was made by Widodo’s brother-in-law, Chief Justice Anwar Usman.
The election of Gibran might be an impulse for Prabowo’s campaign resulting from Widodo’s enormous popularity.
Asked on Sunday about the potential of nominating his son, the president said he would “leave it to the coalition of political parties,” adding that it was the parents’ job to wish for his or her children and provides them blessings.
Indonesia’s Prabowo will ensure “continuity” if he becomes president, says brother
Indonesia’s Prabowo will ensure “continuity” if he becomes president, says brother
Gibran represents his father’s ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), but Widodo has denied any try and dominate the country’s politics, saying it’s as much as the people to decide on the country’s next leader and vp.
Instead, PDI-P nominated Ganjar Pranowo, former governor of Central Java, who selected Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD as its candidate.
This will likely be Prabowo’s third presidential run after losing to Widodo within the previous two elections.
The third contender for the presidency will likely be former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, favored by conservative Muslims and Islamist factions within the Muslim-majority country.
Indonesian Prabowo considers himself the “Jokowi man” of the third presidential candidate
Indonesian Prabowo considers himself the “Jokowi man” of the third presidential candidate
More than 204 million eligible voters are expected to solid their ballots on February 14.
The winner will take over from Widodo after two terms, from the primary election in 2014.
Registration of candidates lasts until October 25, and the subsequent president will likely be sworn in in October next yr, the electoral commission reported.
PDI-P didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
Additional reporting by Reuters
