Elections in Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Elections in Indonesia have taken place since 1955. At a national level, Indonesian people elect a head of state
– the president
– and a legislature
. The president is elected for a five-year term, as are the 550-member People's Representative Council
(Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, DPR) and the 128-seat Regional Representatives Council
(Dewan Perwakilan Daerah).
The Council is elected by proportional representation
from multi-candidate constituencies. Under Indonesia's multi-party system, no one party has yet been able to secure an outright victory; parties have needed to work together in coalition government
s.
The voting age in Indonesia is 17 but anyone who has an ID card can vote. People under 17 who are married can get a KTP.
of Prime Minister
Ali Sastroamidjojo
. Sastroamidjojo himself declined to stand for election, and Burhanuddin Harahap
became Prime Minister.
The election occurred in two stages:
The five largest parties in the election were the National Party of Indonesia (Partai Nasional Indonesia), Masyumi, Nahdlatul Ulama, the Communist Party of Indonesia
(Partai Komunis Indonesia, PKI), and the Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia ( United Islamic Party of Indonesia).
" took place on 5 July 1971. Ten political parties participated.
The five largest political parties were Golkar
, Nahdlatul Ulama, the Muslim Party of Indonesia (Parmusi), the Indonesian National Party
and the Indonesian Islamic Union Party
.
To ensure that Golkar always won more than 60 percent of the popular vote, the New Order regime used a number of tactics. These included:
was the first election held after the collapse of the New Order. It was held on 7 June 1999 under the government of Jusuf Habibie
. Forty-eight political parties participated.
The six largest parties which passed the electoral threshold of 2% were the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle
(Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan), the reformed Golkar Party, the United Development Party
(Partai Persatuan Pembangunan), the National Awakening Party
(Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa), the National Mandate Party
(Partai Amanat Nasional), and the Crescent Star Party
(Partai Bulan Bintang).
Under the constitution, the new President was elected by members of both houses of Parliament in a joint sitting. This meant that although the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle won the largest share of the popular vote, the new President was not its nominee, Megawati Sukarnoputri
, but Abdurrahman Wahid
from the National Awakening Party. Megawati became Vice-President.
During its 2002 annual session, the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) added 14 amendments to the Constitution of Indonesia
. Included in these amendments were measures to reorganize the Indonesia
n legislature
. Beginning in 2004, the MPR would be composed of the existing People's Representative Council
(DPR) and a new Regional Representative Council (DPD). Because all the seats in the MPR would be directly elected
, this called for the removal of the military from the legislature, whose 38 seats for the 1999–2004 period were all appointed. This change and an amendment for direct election of the President
and Vice President
were major steps for Indonesia
on the road towards a full democracy
.
The 2004 legislative election
was held on 5 April 2004. A total of 24 parties contested the election. The Golkar
Party won the largest share of the vote, at 21.6%, followed by the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle
, the National Awakening Party
, the United Development Party
and newly formed Democratic Party
. 17 parties won legislative seats.
and the People's Representative Council
were held in Indonesia
on 9 April 2009. The presidential election was held on 8 July, with but President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
winning enough of the vote to make the run-off election unnecessary.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
– the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
– and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president is elected for a five-year term, as are the 550-member People's Representative Council
People's Representative Council
The People's Representative Council , sometimes referred to as the House of Representatives, is one of two elected national legislative assemblies in Indonesia....
(Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, DPR) and the 128-seat Regional Representatives Council
Regional Representatives Council
The The Regional Representative Council is one of two parliamentary chambers in Indonesia. Together with the People's Representative Council, it makes up a third chamber, the People's Consultative Assembly.-History:...
(Dewan Perwakilan Daerah).
The Council is elected by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
from multi-candidate constituencies. Under Indonesia's multi-party system, no one party has yet been able to secure an outright victory; parties have needed to work together in coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
s.
The voting age in Indonesia is 17 but anyone who has an ID card can vote. People under 17 who are married can get a KTP.
Early elections (1955)
Indonesia's first general election elected members of the DPR and the Constitutional Assembly of Indonesia (Konstituante). The election was organised by the governmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Ali Sastroamidjojo
Ali Sastroamidjojo
Ali Sastroamidjojo, was the 8th and 10th Prime Minister of Indonesia. He was born in Grabag, Central Java on May 21, 1903 and died in Jakarta, March 13, 1976.-References:...
. Sastroamidjojo himself declined to stand for election, and Burhanuddin Harahap
Burhanuddin Harahap
Burhanuddin Harahap was the ninth Prime Minister of Indonesia. A member of the Masyumi Party, he held the office from 11 August 1955 to 20 March 1956.-See also:*List of Prime Ministers of Indonesia...
became Prime Minister.
The election occurred in two stages:
- The election of the members of the People's Representative CouncilIndonesian legislative election, 1955Indonesia's first parliamentary general election was held on 29 September 1955. The candidates were seeking to be elected to the 257-seat People's Representative Council, which would replace the existing provisional legislature...
, which took place on 29 September 1955. Twenty-nine political parties and individuals took part; - The election for the members of the Constitutional AssemblyIndonesian Constituent Assembly election, 1955Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Indonesia on 15 December 1955. The Indonesian Provisional Constitution of 1950 had provided for the establishment of a democratically elected Constitutional Assembly to draw up a permanent constitution. In April 1953 the legislature passed the election...
, which took place on 15 December 1955.
The five largest parties in the election were the National Party of Indonesia (Partai Nasional Indonesia), Masyumi, Nahdlatul Ulama, the Communist Party of Indonesia
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
(Partai Komunis Indonesia, PKI), and the Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia ( United Islamic Party of Indonesia).
Beginning of the New Order (1971)
The first election after the establishment of the "New OrderNew Order (Indonesia)
The New Order is the term coined by former Indonesian President Suharto to characterize his regime as he came to power in 1966. Suharto used this term to contrast his rule with that of his predecessor, Sukarno...
" took place on 5 July 1971. Ten political parties participated.
The five largest political parties were Golkar
Golkar
The Party of the Functional Groups is a political party in Indonesia. It is also known as Sekber Golkar . It was the ruling party during Suharto's regime...
, Nahdlatul Ulama, the Muslim Party of Indonesia (Parmusi), the Indonesian National Party
Indonesian National Party
The Indonesian National Party is the same used by several political parties in Indonesia from 1927 until the present day.-Pre-independence:...
and the Indonesian Islamic Union Party
Indonesian Islamic Union Party
Islamic Association Party of Indonesia was an Islamic political party in Indonesia. In 1973 it was merged into the United Development Party.-Origins:The Sarekat Islam was a pre-war political organization in the then-Dutch East Indies...
.
Elections under the New Order (1977–1997)
Elections following the mergers were held under the government of President Suharto. In accordance with the legislation, these were contested by three groups; Golkar, the PPP and the PDI. All elections in this period were won by Golkar.To ensure that Golkar always won more than 60 percent of the popular vote, the New Order regime used a number of tactics. These included:
- Reducing the number of opponents: In 1973, the existing political parties were forced to merge into the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). These were the only parties allowed to contest general elections.
- Weakening the remaining opponents: The two political parties were forbidden to criticize government policy, and the government had to approve all slogans they used. Furthermore, they were not allowed to organize at the village level (where the majority of Indonesians live). To stop the rise of charismatic figures, their candidates had to be vetted by the government. When a potentially charismatic figure (in the form of founding president Sukarno's daughter Megawati Sukarnoputri) became leader of the PDI, the government engineered a political convention in Medan in 1996 to remove her. Ironically, the ensuing disturbances at the PDI's Jakarta headquarters began a chain of events that indirectly led to the downfall of the New Order.
- Coercion to vote Golkar: Civil servants were ordered to support Golkar, or face accusations of insubordination. Private sector workers were reminded of the need for "stability". Many people believed the vote was not secret, and the government did little to persuade them otherwise. Many voters were still at school, and they were warned by teachers of a link between their choice at the ballot box and exam success
- The vote-counting process: The Golkar votes were counted first, then those of the two other parties. In the 1997 election, by 9pm on the day after voting, Golkar had already been awarded 94% of its eventual vote. By contrast, the PPP had been credited with less than 10% of its final tally.
- Vote-rigging: Although the counting at the local ballot boxes was conducted in public, with the ballot papers held up and the scores marked on boards, it was at the later stages where irregularities were frequently reported.
- Multiple voting: There was no effective way of determining who had already voted, allowing many to do so more than once
| Year | United Development Party United Development Party The United Development Party , sometimes translated as Development Unity Party is a political party in Indonesia. It is an islamic party and currently led by Suryadharma Ali.-Origins:... (Partai Persatuan Pembangunan, PPP) |
The Functional Groups Golkar The Party of the Functional Groups is a political party in Indonesia. It is also known as Sekber Golkar . It was the ruling party during Suharto's regime... (Golongan Karya, Golkar) |
Indonesian Democratic Party Indonesian Democratic Party The Indonesian Democratic Party was one of the two state-approved parties during the New Order era of the late 20th-century in Indonesia.-Origins:... (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia, PDI) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Seats | Votes | Seats | Votes | Seats | |
| 1977 Indonesian legislative election, 1977 Indonesia's third legislative election, and the second under the New Order regime, was held on May 2, 1977. There were three participants; the two political parties and the "functional group" Golkar.-Results:-References:... |
18,743,491 (29.29%) | 99 (27.50%) | 39,750,096 (62.11%) | 232 (64.44%) | 5,504,757 (8.60%) | 29 (8.06%) |
| 1982 Indonesian legislative election, 1982 Indonesia's fourth legislative election, and the third under the New Order regime, was held on May 4, 1982. There were three participants; the two political parties and the "functional group" Golkar.-Results:-References:* retrieved January 6, 2008... |
20,871,880 (27.78%) | 94 (26.11%) | 48,334,724 (64.34%) | 242 (67.22%) | 5,919,702 (7.88%) | 24 (6.67%) |
| 1987 Indonesian legislative election, 1987 Indonesia's fifth legislative election, and the fourth under the New Order government, was held on 23 April 1987. There were three participants; the two political parties and the "functional group" Golkar... |
13,701,428 (15.97%) | 61 (15.25%) | 62,783,680 (73.17%) | 299 (74.75%) | 9,324,708 (10.87%) | 40 (10.00%) |
| 1992 Indonesian legislative election, 1992 Indonesia's sixth legislative election, and the fifth under the New Order regime, was held on June 9, 1992. Although the share of the vote won by Golkar declined, and the two parties saw their votes rise, the government organization still won a clear majority.... |
16,624,647 (17.00%) | 62 (15.50%) | 66,599,331 (68.10%) | 282 (70.50%) | 14,565,556 (14.89%) | 56 (14.00%) |
| 1997 Indonesian legislative election, 1997 Legislative elections were held in Indonesia on 29 May 1997. There were actually three elections in one as voters were electing members of two levels of regional government as well as the House of Representatives. This was to be the last election of President Suharto's New Order regime, which... |
25,341,028 (22.43%) | 89 (20.94%) | 84,187,907 (74.51%) | 325 (76.47%) | 3,463,226 (3.07%) | 11 (2.59%) |
| Source: General Election Commission Seats up for election: 360 (1977 and 1982), 400 (1987 and 1992), 425 (1997) |
||||||
Election reforms (1999–present)
The 1999 electionIndonesian legislative election, 1999
The Indonesian legislative election, 1999, held on June 7, 1999, was the first election since the end of the New Order and the first free election in Indonesia since 1955. With the ending of restrictions on political activity following the fall of Suharto, a total of 48 parties contested the 462...
was the first election held after the collapse of the New Order. It was held on 7 June 1999 under the government of Jusuf Habibie
Jusuf Habibie
Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie , also known B. J. Habibie, was the third and shortest-serving President of Indonesia, serving from 1998 to 1999.-Early life and career:...
. Forty-eight political parties participated.
The six largest parties which passed the electoral threshold of 2% were the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle
Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle
The Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle is an Indonesian political party. It is led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesian independence leader and first president Sukarno. Megawati was President of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004...
(Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan), the reformed Golkar Party, the United Development Party
United Development Party
The United Development Party , sometimes translated as Development Unity Party is a political party in Indonesia. It is an islamic party and currently led by Suryadharma Ali.-Origins:...
(Partai Persatuan Pembangunan), the National Awakening Party
National Awakening Party
-Origins:The story of PKB establishment began in May 11, 1998 when the elders Kyai held a meeting at Pesantren Langitan. They discussed the latest situation that demands changes to save Indonesian nation from destruction. As a result Kyai make an official letter to Pak Harto requested he fell or...
(Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa), the National Mandate Party
National Mandate Party
The National Mandate Party is a moderate Islamist political party in Indonesia. It was founded by reformists, including Amien Rais, chairman of the Muhammadiyah organization, during the Indonesian reformation...
(Partai Amanat Nasional), and the Crescent Star Party
Crescent Star Party
-History:The party's origins go back to the banning of the Masyumi Party by President Sukarno in 1960. After the ban, supporters and followers of the party established the Crescent Star Family to continue to press for the implementation of Sharia law and Islamic teaching in Indonesia...
(Partai Bulan Bintang).
Under the constitution, the new President was elected by members of both houses of Parliament in a joint sitting. This meant that although the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle won the largest share of the popular vote, the new President was not its nominee, Megawati Sukarnoputri
Megawati Sukarnoputri
In this Indonesian name, the name "Sukarnoputri" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name "Megawati"....
, but Abdurrahman Wahid
Abdurrahman Wahid
Abdurrahman Wahid, born Abdurrahman Addakhil , colloquially known as , was an Indonesian Muslim religious and political leader who served as the President of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001...
from the National Awakening Party. Megawati became Vice-President.
During its 2002 annual session, the People's Consultative Assembly
People's Consultative Assembly
The People's Consultative Assembly is the legislative branch in Indonesia's political system. It is composed of the members of the People's Representative Council and the Regional Representative Council. Before 2004, and the amendments to the 1945 Constitution, the MPR was the highest governing...
(MPR) added 14 amendments to the Constitution of Indonesia
Constitution of Indonesia
The Constitution of Indonesia is the basis for the government of the Indonesia.The constitution was written in June, July and August 1945, when Indonesia was emerging from Japanese control at the end of World War II...
. Included in these amendments were measures to reorganize the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. Beginning in 2004, the MPR would be composed of the existing People's Representative Council
People's Representative Council
The People's Representative Council , sometimes referred to as the House of Representatives, is one of two elected national legislative assemblies in Indonesia....
(DPR) and a new Regional Representative Council (DPD). Because all the seats in the MPR would be directly elected
Direct election
Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
, this called for the removal of the military from the legislature, whose 38 seats for the 1999–2004 period were all appointed. This change and an amendment for direct election of the President
President of Indonesia
The President of the Republic of Indonesia is the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia.The first president was Sukarno and the current president is Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.- Sukarno era :...
and Vice President
Vice President of Indonesia
The Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia is the first in the line of succession in the Republic of Indonesia.-History of the office:The Indonesian Vice Presidency was established during the formulation of the 1945 constitution by the Researching Body for the Preparation of the Indonesian...
were major steps for Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
on the road towards a full democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
.
The 2004 legislative election
Indonesian legislative election, 2004
Indonesia held legislative elections on 5 April 2004 for both houses of the People's Consultative Assembly, the country's national legislature...
was held on 5 April 2004. A total of 24 parties contested the election. The Golkar
Golkar
The Party of the Functional Groups is a political party in Indonesia. It is also known as Sekber Golkar . It was the ruling party during Suharto's regime...
Party won the largest share of the vote, at 21.6%, followed by the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle
Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle
The Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle is an Indonesian political party. It is led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesian independence leader and first president Sukarno. Megawati was President of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004...
, the National Awakening Party
National Awakening Party
-Origins:The story of PKB establishment began in May 11, 1998 when the elders Kyai held a meeting at Pesantren Langitan. They discussed the latest situation that demands changes to save Indonesian nation from destruction. As a result Kyai make an official letter to Pak Harto requested he fell or...
, the United Development Party
United Development Party
The United Development Party , sometimes translated as Development Unity Party is a political party in Indonesia. It is an islamic party and currently led by Suryadharma Ali.-Origins:...
and newly formed Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Indonesia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Indonesia, was founded on 9 September 2001. Its ideology is based on the Indonesian concept of Pancasila.-Origins:...
. 17 parties won legislative seats.
2009 legislative and presidential elections
Legislative elections for the Regional Representatives CouncilRegional Representatives Council
The The Regional Representative Council is one of two parliamentary chambers in Indonesia. Together with the People's Representative Council, it makes up a third chamber, the People's Consultative Assembly.-History:...
and the People's Representative Council
People's Representative Council
The People's Representative Council , sometimes referred to as the House of Representatives, is one of two elected national legislative assemblies in Indonesia....
were held in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
on 9 April 2009. The presidential election was held on 8 July, with but President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004....
winning enough of the vote to make the run-off election unnecessary.
Voter registration
| Year | Registered voters | Voter turnout | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 Indonesian legislative election, 1955 Indonesia's first parliamentary general election was held on 29 September 1955. The candidates were seeking to be elected to the 257-seat People's Representative Council, which would replace the existing provisional legislature... |
43,104,464 | 37,875,299 | 87.86 |
| 1971 Indonesian legislative election, 1971 Indonesia's second legislative election, and the first under the New Order regime, was held on July 3, 1971. There were 10 participants; 9 political parties and the "functional group" Golkar.-Background:... |
58,558,776 | 54,699,509 | 93.41 |
| 1977 Indonesian legislative election, 1977 Indonesia's third legislative election, and the second under the New Order regime, was held on May 2, 1977. There were three participants; the two political parties and the "functional group" Golkar.-Results:-References:... |
70,378,750 | 63,998,344 | 90.93 |
| 1982 Indonesian legislative election, 1982 Indonesia's fourth legislative election, and the third under the New Order regime, was held on May 4, 1982. There were three participants; the two political parties and the "functional group" Golkar.-Results:-References:* retrieved January 6, 2008... |
82,134,195 | 75,126,306 | 91.47 |
| 1987 Indonesian legislative election, 1987 Indonesia's fifth legislative election, and the fourth under the New Order government, was held on 23 April 1987. There were three participants; the two political parties and the "functional group" Golkar... |
93,965,953 | 85,869,816 | 91.38 |
| 1992 Indonesian legislative election, 1992 Indonesia's sixth legislative election, and the fifth under the New Order regime, was held on June 9, 1992. Although the share of the vote won by Golkar declined, and the two parties saw their votes rise, the government organization still won a clear majority.... |
107,605,697 | 97,789,534 | 90.88 |
| 1997 Indonesian legislative election, 1997 Legislative elections were held in Indonesia on 29 May 1997. There were actually three elections in one as voters were electing members of two levels of regional government as well as the House of Representatives. This was to be the last election of President Suharto's New Order regime, which... |
124,740,987 | 112,991,160 | 90.58 |
| Source: | |||
See also
- Politics of IndonesiaPolitics of IndonesiaPolitics of Indonesia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Indonesia is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both...
- Electoral calendar
- Electoral system
- Single-party stateSingle-party stateA single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
especially the term "de facto single-party state"