As Indonesia goes to the polls, women and minority candidates face challenges
ABC News
As the world's third-largest democracy prepares for national elections on Wednesday, women and minority candidates face questions about whether voters will accept them
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- With a broad smile on his face, Jakarta city council candidate Rian Ernest answers almost every question about his faith with the same line.
“I’m Christian, but my wife and children are Muslims, so pray for me to get the guidance," Ernest said.
Ernest is one of thousands of candidates facing the contradictions of seeking office as a member of a minority in the world's third-largest democracy, which is holding national elections on Wednesday.
Elections in the country often reveal a tension between pluralism and the power of conservatives from its Muslim majority.
Nearly 90% of Indonesia’s 277 million people are Muslims. There are just under a million Christians in Jakarta, out of around 10 million people.
