Political Situation
In the last decade, Indonesia undertook one of the most ambitious programs of institutional reform attempted anywhere. Rapid decentralization of power, the creation of a credible constitutional court and an active and powerful anti-corruption commission are examples of such reform.
Despite these remarkable achievements by the Indonesian people and its government, Indonesia has yet to fully consolidate its democratic systems and institutions. The 2009 national elections, meant to serve as an example of Indonesia’s continued transition to becoming a fully established and mature democracy, were instead a step backwards in the view of many observers. The country’s electoral system continues to be in a state of transition, with persistent complaints of flawed voter lists, frequently changing election rules, and occasional outbreaks of violence.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in the 2014 presidential elections, has seen his reputation damaged in a recent spate of corruption scandals inside his political party, Partai Demokrat. The legislative branch, despite significant improvement from its days as a rubber stamp for the Suharto regime, is seen by many Indonesians as a corrupt and ineffective institution. Political parties, which should be playing a central role in proposing alternative public policy solutions that reflect citizen priorities, struggle to define their political vision, engage voters and break free of the patrimonial patterns established in previous eras.
The 2014 elections mark a crucial moment in Indonesia’s democratic transition since the fall of Suharto. With no clear presidential front-runner and a higher parliamentary threshold for parties to enter the national legislature, the elections hold the potential of being the most closely contended in the nation's history. The incentives for increased electoral manipulation, vote buying and fraud are clear, at a time when the independence and competence of electoral administrative bodies are increasingly under question. Voter participation, while still high by international standards, has continued to shrink in each national election since 1998; citizens’ low regard for political parties and the national legislature is likely a leading factor. If fair and free of violence, the 2014 elections could represent a crucial step forward in the permanent establishment of democracy in Indonesia, in a region where democracy has struggled to gain a consistent foothold. Otherwise, Indonesia could risk sliding backwards down a path of poor governance, illegitimate leadership and conflict.
NDI Programs
NDI has worked in Indonesia since 1996, when it supported domestic efforts to monitor the May 1997 parliamentary elections. NDI also engaged political parties and domestic election monitoring organizations in preparation for the 1999 and 2004 elections.
Since the fall of the Suharto regime, NDI has conducted wide-ranging programs to strengthen political parties, elected bodies, and civil society organizations to further assist in the country’s democratic consolidation. These programs have included helping local civic groups conduct independent observation of Indonesia’s local and national elections using methods such as sample based observations, voter attitude surveys and voter registration audits. The Institute has been especially active in Aceh, helping civil society and political parties establish democratic governance and free and fair elections in the province since the signing of the 2005 Aceh Peace Agreement.
In 2009, NDI focused on providing electoral assistance, strengthening political parties’ ability to compete in elections, and increasing women’s political participation. That year, women’s representation in the national legislature rose by 7 percent — the biggest increase in Indonesian history.
Since the 2009 elections, the Institute has been working with political parties to support party caucuses (fraksi) in the legislature as they generate and review new legislation, conduct government oversight and reach out to constituents. NDI has provided comparative advice from experts around the world, information, mentoring and skills-building training to party representatives and expert parliamentary staff at the national and local level. NDI has also partnered with local institutions, such as the Indonesia Parliamentary Center, to organize a series of issue-based forums to bolster communication between political parties and their legislators and policy-focused civil society organizations on issues of mutual concern.
NDI has conducted focus groups with party fraksi and the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of Indonesia to illustrate how qualitative research can be a useful tool in developing policy. The Institute continues to partner with the Women’s Political Caucus of Indonesia (Kaukus Perempuan Politik Indonesia - KPPI) to increase women’s leadership both inside political parties and in elected bodies. NDI provides on-going technical help to KPPI to broaden its membership base, fundraise for and train women candidates, and sharpen its advocacy on behalf of women’s rights. In addition, NDI works with women’s wings of political parties at the national level to support and assist women leaders.
Finally, NDI is working with the Bali-based Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) to boost the political skills of emerging political party leaders across Asia.
Contact Information
For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Washington, DC
David Caragliano, Senior Program Officer
202 728 5463
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