Peaceful power transfer

last updated 8 January 2015

Jakarta

Indonesia’s former security minister beat incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri in a landslide this week. Preliminary results showed that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who based his campaign on a promise to end corruption and economic malaise, got more than 60 percent of the approximately 120 million votes cast. “I thank God and all the people that have trusted me,” Yudhoyono said, “and I thank Megawati for bringing this democratic process.” Once the vote is officially confirmed, it will be the first time the world’s most populous Muslim country has changed leaders in successive democratic elections. Yudhoyono is a moderate Muslim who received his military training in the U.S.