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Police Fire Tear Gas to Disperse Protesters in Indonesia's Jakarta - Reports

Protesters took to the streets in central Jakarta following a rally held after official results confirmed President Joko Widodo's re-election, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Sputnik

Indonesian incumbent president Joko Jokowi Widodo has won the presidential election, local media reported on Tuesday.

 

Widodo and Maruf Amin who sought the post of vice president won the votes in 21 of Indonesia's 34 provinces, The Jakarta Globe newspaper said. The pair gained over 55 per cent of the vote. Widodo's competitor, Prabowo Subianto received support in 13 provinces.

More tense scenes just now at one of Jakarta’s election offices @9NewsAUSpic.twitter.com/50D1IRaqpO

Elected back in 2014, Widodo became the first leader who did not come from an elite or military background. He previously served as the Mayor of the city of Surakarta, and later the Governor of Jakarta, the country's capital.

Indonesia held general elections on 17 April, with voters simultaneously electing the president, the vice president, members of the national parliament and local legislative bodies, in a first for the country.

READ MORE: Over 300 Officials Die of Exhaustion During Elections in Indonesia

Earlier, Subianto and his campaign headquarters cited grave violations allegedly detected in many electoral constituencies. Subianto, who is a friend of late president Suharto's family, accused the electoral commission of violations after losing the 2014 elections as well.

In a joint statement, the country's National Police and Armed Forces have pledged to curb any rallies aimed at destabilizing the situation in the country after elections.

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