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       Ex-General Accused of Rights Abuses Is Declared Winner of Indonesia Election

       The official result confirmed projections made after last month’s vote, which raised concerns about the vibrancy of the country’s democracy.

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       By Sui-Lee Wee and Muktita Suhartono

       March 20, 2024, 11:15 a.m. ET

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       The News A feared former general won last month’s presidential election in Indonesia, official results released on Wednesday showed, confirming unofficial projections.

       That candidate, Prabowo Subianto, who is now Indonesia’s defense minister, garnered 58.6 percent of the vote, according to the final tally by the General Election Commission.

       The result means that Mr. Prabowo, who was placed under a visa blacklist by the United States for about two decades over human rights abuses, won the election outright, avoiding a runoff with the second-place candidate.

       Although the official count is over, the process for Mr. Prabowo to be officially declared president-elect could be a protracted one. His opponents — Anies Baswedan, who had 24.9 percent of the vote, and Ganjar Pranowo, who took 16.5 percent — have said they plan to challenge the result.

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       They accuse the outgoing president, Joko Widodo, of improperly influencing the election and claim widespread irregularities during the Feb. 14 vote. They have not provided proof of election-day impropriety but said they had evidence to prove their claims in court.

       Mr. Prabowo’s representatives reject these claims, noting that nearly every poll before the election showed him as the front-runner.

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       Sui-Lee Wee is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for The Times, overseeing coverage of 11 countries in the region. More about Sui-Lee Wee

       Muktita Suhartono reports on Thailand and Indonesia. She is based in Bangkok. More about Muktita Suhartono

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