Jakarta. Indonesians go to the polls today, picking legislators in what is seen as a decisive factor in selecting candidates for the presidential election in July.
About 190 million eligible voters across the nation will decide the fate of around 6,000 candidates vying for 560 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) and 133 seats in the Regional Consultative Council (DPD). An additional 230,000 hopefuls are also running for local government positions in the world’s third-largest democracy.
Selection of these legislative seats is important because it will determine how many seats a political party will hold in the House, and that determines whether a party can pick its own presidential candidate or should form a coalition.
Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, who is running for president for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), voted after 8 a.m. with his wife, Iriana, in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
He leads in many polls over Prabowo Subianto, who is running for the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).
For up-to-the minute news on the legislative elections, click on the Live Coverage Blog.
Source/Fuente: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/jakarta/indonesians-start-voting-leg...
