- Title: INDONESIA: Indonesia presidential candidate Joko Widodo votes
- Date: 9th July 2014
- Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JULY 9, 2014) (REUTERS) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOKO WIDODO AND WIFE IRIANA JOKO WIDODO ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION PHOTOGRAPHERS VARIOUS OF WIDODO AND WIFE REGISTERING WIDODO GREETING OTHER VOTERS VARIOUS OF WIDODO WAITING TO VOTE CAMERAMAN WIDODO AND WIFE HOLDING UP BALLOT PAPERS WIDODO VOTING WIDODO AND WIFE WALKING TOWARDS BALLOT BOX WIDODO AND WIFE CASTING VOTES PHOTOGRAPHERS VARIOUS OF WIDODO AND WIFE SHOWING INKED FINGERS, REPRESENTING THEIR TEAM NUMBER TWO WIDODO AND WIFE'S TWO INKED FINGERS
- Embargoed: 24th July 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Indonesia
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6BLAZ2W07872D2HSWCXTQPLAK
- Story Text: Indonesian presidential election frontrunner Joko Widodo cast his vote in a closely fought poll on Wednesday (July 9).
Widodo, or locally known as Jokowi, was accompanied by his spouse Iriana Joko Widodo to the ballot station in central Jakarta The 53-year-old, who is running with former vice president Yusuf Kalla, is competing against former general Prabowo Subianto.
He is considered the most popular politician in Indonesia and is the favourite to win by a tight margin, according to opinion polls, although recent findings showed his lead narrowing in recent weeks.
Born into poverty, he has stormed his way to the top rungs of leadership with a clean image and a reputation for competence in local government, a reversal of the autocracy, corruption and power politics that have weighed down South-east Asia's biggest economy for decades.
He was the mayor in his hometown of Solo, in Central Java, for four years from 2005 and became Jakarta's governor in 2012.
The election will mark the first time a directly elected president hands over the reins to another in the world's most populous Muslim nation.
The election commission expects high voter turnout. Of 190 million eligible voters, around 11 percent will be punching the ballot for the first time. Close to a third are under 30 years old. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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