Indonesia election set for run-off

But his lead appears far short of that needed to avoid a run-off in September.

Initial results from the National Election Commission put Yudhoyono just seven percentage points ahead of his nearest rival.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

Millions of Indonesians turned out for Monday's poll - their first opportunity to elect a new leader.

No official turnout figures have been released, but media reports estimate that 80 percent of the 150 million eligible voters took part.

Early results gave Yudhoyono 33.2 percent of the vote, much less than pre-election poll estimates of 40-45 percent.

Incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri came in second, with former armed forces chief General Wiranto close behind.

The national election commission figures were roughly backed by a sample poll produced by the Washington-based National Democratic Institute.