November 29, 2024
jakarta – Voters will already know the regional election results at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, three hours after polls close.
For those paying close attention to the race, Wednesday afternoon’s quick vote count came as no surprise.
From the perspective of KIM, Wednesday’s vote may not be a sweep, but it will be enough for the ruling coalition to emerge victorious knowing that the balance of power remains in their favour, and that there is little they cannot do controlled.
The first good news comes from Central Java, a key battleground province in this year’s local elections.
Many pollsters predict that Kim Jong Un’s nominee, former police chief Muhammad Luthfi, who won the support of former President Joko Widodo, will win the election with 57% of the popular vote.
His rival, former Indonesian military (TNI) commander Gen. Andika Perkasa (ret.), nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), ranked third with 40%. two.
Andika’s defeat in Central Java, a HDP stronghold, marks a further setback for the nationalist party, which in February lost its presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo to then-Defense Minister Pra Prabowo Subianto, whose candidacy also won Jokowi’s support.
In neighboring East Java, KIM is likely to score another victory, with its gubernatorial candidate Khofifah Indar Parawansa expected to win the race with 58% of the vote, beating PDI-P candidate former Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini, who received 32% of the vote.
In West Java, the ruling coalition led by President Prabowo Prabowo’s Gerindra party scored an even bigger victory for its gubernatorial candidate Dedi Mulyadi. The densest province versus three opponents.
In Banten province, the powerful political machine of Kim Jong Un’s party achieved a seemingly unimaginable victory, defeating the scion of one of the country’s most powerful political dynasties.
A quick count by a major pollster showed KIM candidate Andra Soni with 58% of the vote, overtaking former Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah. ) Airin Rachmi Diany, the former mayor of South Tangerang with political dynasty connections.
The biggest surprise, of course, comes from the contest in Jakarta, where PDI-P candidate Pramono Anung Wibowo takes on KIM candidate Ridwan Kamil.
As of Wednesday evening, some polling firms expected Pramono to win in one round after receiving more than 50% of the vote. However, some other pollsters put the figure at 49%.
Pramono’s victory in Jakarta could also be a consolation prize for the DMK, which has been hungry for a key executive seat after losing the last presidential election.
Whatever the outcome in Jakarta, it will be a favorable situation for the ruling coalition. Even if Pramono ends up winning the second round of voting, KIM can rest assured that Pramono is a figure friendly to President Prabowo’s government.
With these gains, President Prabowo is sure to govern more freely over the next five years, and his signature policies are likely to receive a friendly response from governments at the regional level.
Regional poll results on Wednesday also showed how much influence former President Joko Widodo still has in Indonesian politics.
With no major events to disrupt the polls, we imagine everyone was pleased with Wednesday’s regional election results.
