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Jakarta’s Popular Governor Gets His Party’s Nod for President Jakarta’s Popular Governor Gets His Party’s Nod for President
(about 4 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Joko Widodo, the wildly popular governor of Indonesia’s capital, on Friday received what his supporters have been hoping to see: his party’s blessing to run for president in July. JAKARTA, Indonesia — Joko Widodo, the wildly popular governor of Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, on Friday received what his supporters have been hoping to see: his party’s blessing to run for president in July.
The opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle announced on Twitter that the Jakarta governor, widely known as “Jokowi,” would be its presidential candidate. The announcement ends more than a year of speculation over whether the party’s chairwoman, Megawati Sukarnoputri, 67, a former president, would name herself as its candidate or support Mr. Joko, who is 15 years her junior. The opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle announced on Twitter that Mr. Joko, widely known as Jokowi, would be its presidential candidate. The announcement ends more than a year of speculation over whether the party’s chairwoman, Megawati Sukarnoputri, 67, a former president, would name herself as its candidate or support Mr. Joko, who is 15 years her junior.
The party posted photographs online Friday of Mrs. Megawati, accompanied by her daughter, Puan Maharani, a senior party leader and lawmaker, holding a handwritten statement declaring that Mr. Joko had been chosen to run, as well as images of “Jokowi for President” buttons.The party posted photographs online Friday of Mrs. Megawati, accompanied by her daughter, Puan Maharani, a senior party leader and lawmaker, holding a handwritten statement declaring that Mr. Joko had been chosen to run, as well as images of “Jokowi for President” buttons.
A former small-town mayor in Central Java Province, Mr. Joko, 52, became a political phenomenon after winning the governorship of Jakarta in September 2012 as an opposition candidate. During the past year, he has been the clear leader among several presidential hopefuls in numerous opinion polls. But he declined to discuss any presidential aspirations, saying the decision was Mrs. Megawati’s.A former small-town mayor in Central Java Province, Mr. Joko, 52, became a political phenomenon after winning the governorship of Jakarta in September 2012 as an opposition candidate. During the past year, he has been the clear leader among several presidential hopefuls in numerous opinion polls. But he declined to discuss any presidential aspirations, saying the decision was Mrs. Megawati’s.
As the news broke Friday afternoon, the governor, visiting Marunda along the seafront in North Jakarta, was mobbed by journalists and supporters. “Bismillah,” he told the Indonesian news portal Detik.com, meaning “in the name of God,” “I am ready.” As the news broke Friday afternoon, the governor, visiting Marunda along the seafront in North Jakarta, was mobbed by journalists and supporters. “Bismillah,” he told the Indonesian news portal Detik.com, meaning, “in the name of God,” “I am ready.”
An aide to Mr. Joko, who asked not to be named, said that Mrs. Megawati, who was president from 2001 to 2004, called Mr. Joko shortly before the announcement. An aide to Mr. Joko, who asked not to be named, said Mrs. Megawati, who was president from 2001 to 2004, called Mr. Joko shortly before the announcement.
Mr. Joko cannot be formally nominated before national legislative elections scheduled for April 9. Political parties must win 20 percent of the seats in Indonesia’s House of Representatives to nominate a candidate, or form a coalition with other parties to reach that threshold. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle is leading in credible legislative polls, and it is likely to get a boost by announcing Mr. Joko as its presidential candidate less than four weeks before the elections.Mr. Joko cannot be formally nominated before national legislative elections scheduled for April 9. Political parties must win 20 percent of the seats in Indonesia’s House of Representatives to nominate a candidate, or form a coalition with other parties to reach that threshold. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle is leading in credible legislative polls, and it is likely to get a boost by announcing Mr. Joko as its presidential candidate less than four weeks before the elections.
Despite sentimentality in Indonesia toward Mrs. Megawati, leader of the political dynasty built by her late father, Sukarno, the country’s revered founding president, her prospects for regaining the presidency appeared remote. Mrs. Megawati lost her bid re-election in 2004 and failed again in 2009. Despite sentimentality in Indonesia toward Mrs. Megawati, leader of the political dynasty built by her father, Sukarno, the country’s revered founding president, her prospects for regaining the presidency appeared remote. Mrs. Megawati lost her bid re-election in 2004 and failed again in 2009.
A survey released in January by Indobarometer, an Indonesian polling firm, indicated Mrs. Megawati would place third in the 2014 presidential contest if Mr. Joko were not a candidate, behind Prabowo Subianto, a former army general. Other polls in recent months have consistently indicated that Mr. Joko would have a double-digit lead over Mr. Prabowo if he were the party’s candidate. A survey released in January by Indobarometer, an Indonesian polling firm, indicated that Mrs. Megawati would place third in the 2014 presidential contest if Mr. Joko were not a candidate, behind Prabowo Subianto, a former army general. Other polls in recent months have consistently indicated that Mr. Joko would have a double-digit lead over Mr. Prabowo if he were the party’s candidate.