A 'Democracy Party' like no other: one of the largest elections in the world

The young women and men walked from stall to stall asking questions about the political hopefuls' track records and views on the country. A few steps further, new voters practiced casting their ballots in so-called voting booths. And on stage, talk show guests discussed how to make an informed choice when supporting a candidate.

This gathering of more than a thousand people on a recent Sunday in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, was the prelude to a celebration commonly known here as “Pesta Demokrasi,” or Democracy Party.

Also known as Election Day, it is the day when tens of millions of people in this vast archipelago of thousands of islands go to polling stations sometimes decorated with balloons, streamers and flowers, and staffed by officials dressed as Spider-Man, Batman, Thor. or other superheroes. After voting for presidential, parliamentary and local parliamentary candidates, people camp near their polling stations with food as they wait for the first counts to trickle in. The next 'party' is on Wednesday.

Free and fair elections in Indonesia were unthinkable as recently as the mid-1990s, when it was still under the brutal rule of Suharto. But after his fall in 1998, the country grew into the third largest democracy in the world. Partly because Election Day is a national holiday, voter turnout is consistently among the highest in the world, reaching a record 80 percent in 2019. With the minimum voting age set at 17, the largest bloc this time is people under 40, who make up more than half of Indonesia's 205 million voters.

The presidential election is a three-way race, and billboards with the faces of the three candidates – Anies Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo – hang above main roads. Their debates are being discussed furiously on Instagram, TikTok and X. Indonesians call the three men by their candidate numbers, so in homes warungs and cafes here the inevitable question is: “Will you vote for 1, 2 or 3?”

But even this lively election process has its limits.

“Indonesia is very new to democracy, and many people are not used to choosing their candidates based on track records and ideas,” said Abigail Limuria, organizer of the 'Election Festival' in Jakarta, which aimed to educate voters about the candidates and problems. “Many of them just vote based on who their family chooses.”

This campaign has also raised serious questions about the future of Indonesia's hard-won democratic norms. President Joko Widodo, the popular incumbent who is barred from seeking a third five-year term, has alarmed critics with dynastic machinations that allowed his son to run for vice presidency. Although he does not explicitly support anyone, he appears to have formed an alliance with Mr Prabowo, a former rival who has long been accused of human rights abuses and was once married to a daughter of Suharto, the dictator.

Yet there is still the belief that ultimately every vote matters.

“I take this as an opportunity to contribute to changing Indonesia for the better,” said Shiela Mutia Larasati, 25, a fashion entrepreneur based in Jakarta. “I used to be young and apathetic. But now I have hope for Indonesia.”

The recent elections in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, have been marred by ugly identity politics – Mr Joko was called a “Chinese Christian” (he is neither), and Mr Prabowo, who ran for president several times strived but never won, he was dogged by questions about how many times a day he prayed. Campaigning used to mean distributing food supplies to get votes. But this year the political discussion seems to be more open on issues of democracy and defense, even as the presidential candidates all offer a vision similar to Mr Joko's: policies based on infrastructure and welfare projects.

“I think this is a good sign of the improvement of democracy,” said Danis Syahroni, 24, a postgraduate student at Gadjah Mada University in the city of Yogyakarta. “We can debate and discuss candidates' ideas.”

About 1,200 young people gathered at a convention hall in Jakarta where the 'Election Festival', locally known as 'Festival Pemilu', was being held. By mid-afternoon the line was so long that organizers had to turn people away. One of the headliners was a group of young comedians known as 'Trio Netizen'.

“If you get elected and become someone important, don't go crazy, okay?” said one of the comedians, Eky Priyagung, a reference to the 2019 elections, when the opposite happened: some candidates who lost were so devastated that they had to seek residential care for their mental health. The crowd burst into laughter. (This year, several hospitals announced that they have prepared psychiatric wards for candidates.)

The event was an offshoot of a website called “Bijak Memilih,” or Choose Wisely, which targets young voters. Ms Limuria said she wanted to start the website because many young people have expressed confusion about who to vote for in these elections. Some are skeptical about the independence of the country's media outlets, which are owned by tycoons who often advance the interests of their political patrons.

To drive voters to the polls, activists have relied on memes and stunts, such as releasing TikTok videos that equate the candidates with various Taylor Swift songs. A Spotify Wrapped campaign playfully overlaps music with corruption statistics.

At least one candidate has also used social media to his advantage. Using clever digital tactics, Mr. Prabowo has had some success in transforming himself from a feared general into a cuddly grandfather. Many young people simply don't know anything about his past. His apparent alliance with Mr Joko has also increased his popularity.

In recent weeks, opposition to Prabowo has centered around images of people waving four fingers on one hand. The message: Voters should elect everyone except Mr. Prabowo, choosing No. 1 (Mr. Anies) or No. 3 (Mr. Ganjar).

Mr. Anies, a former governor of Jakarta, has found support among an unlikely bloc: Indonesian K-pop fans. They rented a food truck, crowdfunded digital billboards and ordered light sticks for his last rally before the election. Many say they were taken by Mr. Anies after he emerged from a debate and did a TikTok livestream with his supporters, where, like a K-pop star, he answered questions about his love life and his favorite books.

If none of the three candidates wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the race will go to a runoff in June. Recent surveys indicate that Prabowo could exceed the 50 percent mark, but that is far from certain. What remains certain is the high level of social involvement.

“I am very excited to be part of the Democracy Party,” said Kayla Jasmine, 20, who will be voting for the first time at the “Election Festival” in Jakarta.