Indonesia's Constitutional Court has commenced the hearing of appeals against the presidential election results filed by two losing candidates who allege irregularities and fraud. The election, held on Feb. 14, saw Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto declared the winner with over 96 million votes, representing 58.6% of the total votes cast.
Former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan, who garnered nearly 41 million votes, and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo, who received 27 million votes, have both lodged complaints with the court. Baswedan's lawsuit alleges irregularities throughout the electoral process that favored Subianto's victory.
One of the contentious issues raised is the participation of Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Subianto's running mate and the son of outgoing President Joko Widodo. The court had made an exception to the age requirement for candidates, allowing Raka, aged 37, to run. This decision has been criticized by Baswedan and Pranowo.
The court's chief justice, Anwar Usman, who is related to Widodo, faced scrutiny for his involvement in the exception. An ethics panel later compelled Usman to resign but allowed him to remain on the court without participating in election-related cases.
The verdict on the election appeals is expected on April 22 and cannot be appealed. The decision will be made by an eight-judge panel due to Usman's recusal.
In previous elections, the Constitutional Court rejected Subianto's attempts to challenge Widodo's victories, dismissing claims of fraud. Subianto's refusal to accept the 2019 election results led to violent protests in Jakarta.
Widodo, who has reached his term limit, has faced criticism for supporting Subianto, who has been linked to human rights abuses. Indonesian presidents are expected to remain neutral in successor elections.
The court hearings shed light on alleged irregularities and malpractices in the electoral process, with Baswedan emphasizing the importance of upholding justice and democracy in Indonesia.
