Indonesian President-elect Joko Widodo is mobbed by the media after his meeting with defeated candidate Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, Indonesia. Widodo, popularly known as ‘Jokowi’, will be inaugurated as the country’s new president on Oct. 20 and will have to quickly take steps to tackle major challenges, rebooting a slowing economy in a nation of 250 million. (AP PHOTO)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been inaugurated as Indonesia’s new president.
Jokowi took the oath of the office Monday at a ceremony at the parliament in the capital, Jakarta, attended by regional leaders and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
Widodo rose from humble beginnings to become Jakarta governor before winning elections in July with 53 percent of the vote.
A former furniture salesman, he is the first Indonesian president not to come from the ranks of the country’s established political, business and military elite.
The 53-year-old faces tough challenges rebooting the slowing economy in the country of 250 million.
He can also expect resistance from opposition parties still smarting from the defeat of their candidate, a wealthy general with close ties to the country’s former dictator Suharto.