Prabowo, figure from Indonesia's past seeking to 'turn back the clock' on democracy
Dictator's former son-in-law, who claims to have won election, has made no secret of his desire to 'turn back the clock' on democratic reform
Prabowo Subianto, one of Suharto's youngest generals, who was fired from his post in the army in 1998 for his role in the abduction and torture of pro-democracy activists, claims he has won the election. His rival, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, also claims victory. Widodo was the front runner in the build up to the election but squandered more than 30 points from his lead towards the end of the campaign.
Official results will not be released until July 22, due to the complexity of holding elections across the world's biggest archipelago nation.
Widodo came out ahead with 52 per cent of the vote, according to the three most credible unofficial quick counts. But Prabowo pointed to lesser-known surveys showing he came out on top. He said he would consider the election commission's announcement as the "only formal result of the election".
Prabowo is "extremely hungry" for the job, according to veteran Indonesia analyst Kevin Evans. "I think he recognises this is his last serious run for it, so it's now or never. He's a man who's held great ambitions for himself and his country since he was a young fellow."
Prabowo had sought to become the presidential candidate of the Golkar party, Suharto's former political vehicle, in 2004, but was not selected. He left to form his own party, the Great Indonesia Movement Party, and ran for vice president in 2009 on a ticket with ex-president Megawati Sukarnoputri, who failed to win.