Former Gen. Prabowo Subianto was sworn in as Indonesia’s eighth president on Sunday, capping a 26-year rise that followed his dismissal from the military over alleged human rights abuses tied to protests that ousted his late former father-in-law and dictator, Suharto.
Prabowo took the oath of office together with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of outgoing leader Joko Widodo. The ceremony marks a noteworthy comeback for a man who once faced Western-imposed sanctions and had two failed election bids against Widodo, the man he is now replacing.
The 73-year-old will unveil his cabinet later in the day with Sri Mulyani Indrawati expected to retain her finance portfolio, which suggests policy continuity. Prabowo, a former defense minister, wants to boost growth in Southeast Asia’s largest economy to 8% annually and draw in more investments.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.