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Prabowo Subianto, a 72-year-old former general with a chequered past, has claimed victory in Indonesia's presidential election.
Much of his success results from the support of former president Joko Widodo (Jokowi), whose son Gibran was selected as Prabowo's running mate for vice president. The popular former leader was unable to run for a third presidential term.
Remarkably, the military officer's electoral success is also due to social media campaigns that shifted his image from brutal military general to cute grandpa. TikTok depictions of Prabowo as a cuddly old man are very distant from his former image as Special Forces strongman facing accusations of abduction and torture.
The potential risks of Prabowo's election remain significant. His calls to revert to Indonesia's original 1945 Constitution signal a potential return to a more oppressive political system reminiscent of New Order era of his former father-in-law, Soeharto. This shift would unravel Indonesia's post-Soeharto democracy, including Indonesia's charter of human rights and its Constitutional Court.
What are the implications of Prabowo's election for Indonesia? What are the implications for Australia?
AIIA Victoria invites you to join Professor Tim Lindsey in conversation with Rowan Callick to explore these issues.
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