Prabowo, Indonesia's new president, has a controversial history of human rights violations but managed to reinvent his image from a self-described fascist leader with a track record of accusations ranging from kidnapping to genocide to a more benign 'cuddly grandpa' figure, leading to his election. His campaign effectively shifted public perception, crucially supported by outgoing president Jokowi and a shift in strategy from his 2014 campaign, which included riding into rallies on horseback and running ads with Nazi imagery. This transformation was pivotal in his victory in a country celebrating 25 years of democracy. The election reflects a broader trend in Asia, where, thanks to social media, young voters are increasingly supporting populist leaders, reminiscent of the 1990s political climate. This shift comes amid concerns over Indonesia's lagging modernization compared to other Southeast Asian countries and raises questions about the future of democracy in the region.
#Opinion | Asia’s Imperfect Polls: Democracy Is In Vogue—Even If Just In Procedure- “Polls in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia show democracy is alive as most countries derive legitimacy from their status as democratic states,” writes Cheitigj Bajpaee (@Chietigj)… https://t.co/jxdqcqTj0V
After decades fighting Thailand’s powerful establishment, Thaksin Shinawatra appears to have joined it. The former prime minister has become a tool for nobbling Thai democrats https://t.co/ShQOV3G0gG 👇
Asia’s democratic leaders are far from perfect, but voters are happy with their performance. https://t.co/JLsIUUMkTk
As young Indonesians voted in a former general as president, the 2024 election results suggest new challenges for Indonesia’s 25-year democracy. Read the story: https://t.co/WoABl3i6Cb https://t.co/dzLzzuF8Ae
Thanks to social media, Asia's young voters are gravitating toward populist presidents in what feels like a return to the 1990s, writes @KarishmaJourno (via @opinion). Not everything about that era is worth copying https://t.co/nC5zjCanJJ
For Sidecar, John Sidel on the Indonesian elections: 'Prabowo’s election is hardly a populist aberration. It is, rather, an ugly reflection of what democracy has come to mean in Indonesia today.' https://t.co/kMp8XA8cN4
Indonesia's next president Prabowo made big promises on the campaign trail. Can he deliver? https://t.co/VMOptVYqmA
After a campaign that successfully buried accusations of human rights violations ranging from kidnapping to genocide, self-described fascist leader Prabowo has become Indonesia’s new president. https://t.co/voFL6BUK44
To understand Indonesia’s modernization program, you have to understand how it compares to other societies and economies in Southeast Asia. And the fact of the matter is that Indonesia is lagging far, far behind, columnist @adam_tooze explains. https://t.co/MwGZhs2w6L
Thanks to social media, Asia's young voters are gravitating toward populist presidents in what feels like a return to the 1990s, writes @KarishmaJourno. Not everything about that era is worth copying https://t.co/wkQzC6UayR via @opinion
Thanks to social media, Asia's young voters are gravitating toward populist presidents in what feels like a return to the 1990s, writes @KarishmaJourno. Not everything about that era is worth copying https://t.co/XVk1mJd9mL
As a candidate in 2014, Prabowo rode into presidential rallies on horseback and ran an ad with Nazi imagery. Learning from his campaign failure, he reinvented himself as a cuddly grandpa this election — and is now the president. https://t.co/voFL6BUK44
Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo, has a gruesome track record of human rights violations and hostility to democracy. But a slick campaign successfully presented him as a cuddly grandpa figure, with crucial assistance from outgoing president Jokowi. https://t.co/voFL6BVhTC