Prabowo picks Indonesia president’s son as election running mate

JAKARTA: Indonesia´s defence minister and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday he has chosen the eldest son of President Joko Widodo to be his running mate in next year´s election.

The choice of 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka, currently the mayor of Surakarta city, as a vice presidential candidate for the February vote has fuelled criticism that Widodo is trying to create a political dynasty in the world´s third-largest democracy.

“By consensus, everyone agrees to support Prabowo Subianto as the presidential candidate and Gibran Rakabuming Raka as the vice presidential candidate,” said Subianto in a statement outside his residence in the capital Jakarta.

Representatives of his party coalition known as Advanced Indonesia stood behind him as he made the announcement. It came after a controversial court decision this week that ruled anyone who has been elected to public office can run for the presidency and vice presidency. That ruling was issued by Widodo´s brother-in-law, chief justice Anwar Usman.