JAKARTA, Feb 16, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto was winning the archipelago's presidential election by a wide margin with half of all votes counted, the country's election commission vote tracker showed Friday.

With 50 percent of votes tallied, Prabowo stood at 56.89 percent, with former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan at 25.27 percent and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo at 17.84 percent.

Official results are not expected until March, but early indications all point to the 72-year-old ex-general being anointed successor to popular outgoing leader Joko Widodo.

"Thank God, we must be grateful and continue to monitor the KPU's official results," Prabowo wrote on Instagram late Thursday, referring to the general election commission.

The populist already claimed a "victory for all Indonesians" on Wednesday based on preliminary results by government-approved pollsters.

Analysts say a Prabowo victory is almost assured.

Late Thursday, he said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had called to congratulate him, as well as the leaders of Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka in a post showing him with a phone held to his ear.

But the United States has been more cautious, only congratulating the Indonesian people on the election's "robust turnout" in a statement that did not mention Prabowo.