Jakarta
Indonesians went to the polls this week for their first direct presidential election, but millions struggled with their ballots. Officials reported that many voters failed to unfold the paper ballots before punching a hole beside the name of their presidential choice. As a result, their ballots contain two holes and must be checked by hand to determine the voter’s intent. The exact results won’t be known for weeks. But preliminary tallies indicate a run-off will be necessary between the top two of five candidates: incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who was originally selected by the legislature, and challenger Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a former security minister. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, began its transition to democracy in 1998, when dictator Suharto was toppled after ruling for three decades.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sitesIn The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s voidFeature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War DepartmentFeature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
