Indonesia elections: PDI-P tops final tally with 18.95% of votes

Two Indonesian election commission officers walk outside their office in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 09 May 2014. -- PHOTO: EPA
Two Indonesian election commission officers walk outside their office in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 09 May 2014. -- PHOTO: EPA

INDONESIA'S election commission (KPU) announced official results of the April 9 general election minutes before midnight on Saturday after a marathon final counting session.

The official results confirm the results of quick counts held after voting ended last month, which put the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) of Jakarta governor Joko Widodo in first position with 18.95 per cent of votes.

In second spot is Golkar Party, led by tycoon Aburizal Bakrie, with 14.75 per cent, followed by the Gerindra Party of former general Prabowo Subianto with 11.81 per cent.

The Democratic Party of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who cannot contest a third term, dropped out of the top three and got 10.19 per cent of votes, while the National Awakening Party (PKB) of former president Abdurrahman Wahid got 9.04 per cent.

To field a presidential pairing for the July 9 election, candidates need to be backed by a party or group of parties with 20 per cent of the 560 seats in Parliament, or 25 per cent of the vote.

Preliminary tallies suggest the PDI-P is a few seats short of this 112-seat threshold, but it has already got support from the National Democratic (Nasdem) Party of media mogul Surya Paloh which won 6.72 per cent of votes.

Final seat counts for Parliament are expected to be announced by Apr 17 and nominations for presidential tickets will open from April 18 to 20.

The coming days will see more intense jockeying among the remaining political parties to form and secure coalitions ahead of April 20, as it remains unclear whether the Democrats will marshal their own coalition with several smaller parties who have been with them in the outgoing government, which ends its term in office on October 20.

Final Tally:

1. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) - 18.95%

2. Golkar Party - 14.75%

3. Indonesian Great Movement Party (Gerindra) - 11.81%

4. Democratic Party - 10.19%

5. National Awakening Party (PKB) - 9.04%

6. National Mandate Party (PAN) - 7. 59%

7. Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) - 6.79%

8. National Democratic Party (Nasdem) - 6.72%

9. Indonesian United Development Party (PPP) - 6.53%

10. People's Conscience Party (Hanura) - 5.26%

11. Moon and Star Party (PBB) - 1.46%

12. Indonesia Unity Justice Party (PKPI) - 0.91%

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