Indonesia's Joko Widodo inaugurated president, first from outside political and business elite

Joko Widodo waves ahead of his swearing in as Indonesia's seventh president at Parliament in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) (The Associated Press)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, shouts "freedom" while raising his fist as he delivers his speech during his inauguration ceremony as the country's seventh president at the parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (The Associated Press)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, reads his oath during his inauguration ceremony as the country's seventh president at the parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (The Associated Press)

Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been inaugurated as Indonesia's new president.

Jokowi took the oath of the office Monday at a ceremony at the parliament in the capital, Jakarta, attended by regional leaders and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Widodo rose from humble beginnings to become Jakarta governor before winning elections in July with 53 percent of the vote.

A former furniture salesman, he is the first Indonesian president not to come from the ranks of the country's established political, business and military elite.

The 53-year-old faces tough challenges rebooting the slowing economy in the country of 250 million.

He can also expect resistance from opposition parties still smarting from the defeat of their candidate, a wealthy general with close ties to the country's former dictator Suharto.