Last week, students took to the streets on the other side of Asia, to protest against amended election laws that have helped foster a new dynasty. In a few weeks Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president - and with him his vice-president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 36-year-old son of current leader Joko Widodo.
Across the continent, the rise and fall of leaders, soundtracked by the cries of demonstrators, is both a testament to the resilience of Asia's political dynasties, and a warning to the few influential families that have for decades seen power passed between them.
Political dynasties are far from unique to Asia; November's US presidential election will be the first since 1976 without a Bush, Clinton or Biden on the ticket. However, in Asia, at least seven countries are run by family members of former rulers.
Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos and Brunei are all led by the children of former leaders. In Pakistan, the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, is the brother of former leader Nawaz Sharif, who is in a coalition with a party led by the son of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, while Indonesia's president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, is the ex-son-in-law of former dictator Suharto.
Weak political parties, the cost of campaigning and closed networks help explain the longevity of Asia's political families, said Dr Ken Setiawan, senior lecturer in Indonesian studies at the University of Melbourne.
This story is from the September 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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This story is from the September 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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