Two decades since Indonesian despot Soeharto stepped down, the country is holding its fifth democratic elections — a rematch between incumbent Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, and his rival Prabowo Subianto. Indonesia, which is the world's largest Muslim-majority country, has long prided itself on representing moderate Islam. Yohanes Sulaiman argues that the poll will show whether the majority of voters in Indonesia still prefer the moderate stance, or favour a more hard-line position.

This election also matters beyond Indonesia's borders. Bill Laurance and Penny van Oosterzee say that Jokowi’s re-election may put global biodiversity at risk because he is threatening to renege on a national moratorium he declared on new palm-oil plantations — which could quickly escalate deforestation in Papua, Borneo, Sumatra, and beyond.