01/11/2024 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – Anies Baswedan, Indonesian presidential contender, is facing criticism for his connections to hardline Islam in the run-up to the February 14 national election. Indonesia is considered the third-largest democracy in the world. Baswedan is currently polling quite well in the leadup to the election, but current Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is leading the polls with a wide margin.
Baswedan has defended criticisms of his inclusiveness to other religions like Christianity and other minority groups. However, Voice of America recently noted that Baswedan has strong links to aggressive Islamist groups in Indonesia, and his election running mate leads Indonesia’s largest Islamic party, Nahdlatul Ulama. With tens of millions of other Southeast Asians joining Indonesia in national elections in 2024, it is clear that election outcomes will greatly impact the safety and state of Christians in these nations.
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