Indonesian president faces election showdown

President Megawati Sukarnoputri was beaten into second place in Indonesia’s presidential vote and will now face her former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a September runoff, according to poll results today.

Megawati received 26% in yesterday’s election, behind Yudhoyono’s 33% and ahead of Wiranto, a former military chief who was in third place with 23%, according to the poll by the National Democratic Institute.

If the results prove correct, Megawati will face Yudhoyono in a September 20 runoff.

The absence of a clear winner raises the prospect of more than two months of political uncertainty in a nation that embarked on a transition to democracy after the fall of dictator Suharto six years ago.

Though the first round of voting was largely peaceful, some observers fear that tension could mount in the weeks ahead of the runoff. Last month, Yudhoyono warned that rival supporters could clash if there is a runoff.

The campaigns of Megawati and Wiranto said they would not contest results of the vote yesterday despite confusion over invalid ballots.

Official results were not expected for 10 days.

Vote counters across the archipelago re-examined all ballots that were initially deemed invalid because voters punched two holes, not one, in them.

Election officials said the recount of millions of ballots would not affect the results.

Megawati came to power in 2001 after former President Abdurrahman Wahid was forced out of office by parliament. Voters complained about her aloofness and failure to make big improvements in the economy.

Yudhoyono, who served in Megawati’s Cabinet as security minister, benefited from a perception that he is clean, honest and tough.

Some polls had predicted that he would win outright in yesterday’s ballot, the first time Indonesia’s 210 million people voted directly for the head of state.