Politics of Indonesia Politik Indonesia | |
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Polity type | Unitary presidential constitutional republic |
Constitution | Constitution of Indonesia |
Legislative branch | |
Name | People's Consultative Assembly |
Type | Bicameral |
Meeting place | Parliamentary Complex |
Presiding officer | Bambang Soesatyo, Speaker |
Upper house | |
Name | Regional Representative Council |
Presiding officer | La Nyalla Mattalitti, Speaker |
Lower house | |
Name | People's Representative Council |
Presiding officer | Puan Maharani, Speaker |
Executive branch | |
Head of state and government | |
Title | President of Indonesia |
Currently | Joko Widodo |
Appointer | Direct popular vote |
Cabinet | |
Name | Cabinet of Indonesia |
Current cabinet | Onward Indonesia Cabinet |
Leader | President |
Deputy leader | Vice President |
Appointer | President |
Headquarters | Merdeka Palace |
Ministries | 34 |
Judicial branch | |
Name | Judiciary of Indonesia |
Supreme Court | |
Chief judge | Muhammad Syarifuddin |
Constitutional Court | |
Chief judge | Suhartoyo |
This article is part of a series on the |
Politics of Indonesia |
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The politics of Indonesia take place in the 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 the government and the bicameral People's Consultative Assembly. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.[1]
The 1945 constitution provided for a limited separation of executive, legislative and judicial power. The governmental system has been described as "presidential with parliamentary characteristics".[1] Following the Indonesian riots of May 1998 and the resignation of President Suharto, Indonesia's long-standing dictator, several political reforms were implemented via amendments to the Constitution of Indonesia, which resulted in changes to all branches of government and restored democracy in Indonesia.
The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Indonesia a "flawed democracy" in 2022.[2][needs update] According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Indonesia was 2023 the 11th most electoral democratic country in Asia.[3] Indonesia's political parties have been characterized as cartel parties with extensive power-sharing among parties and limited accountability to voters.[4][5][6]
According to the American think tank Freedom House, Indonesia fails to meet many of the civil requirements for a consolidated, or maximalist, democracy. Individuals in Indonesia are generally not free to practice and express their religious faith. Atheists and those who practice one of the unofficial religions in Indonesia can face discrimination.[7] The court system often has many instances of corruption, and there is no due process in civil and criminal matters.[7]
The cardinal fact of Indonesian elite politics is that party competition during elections is invariably followed by party cartelization after elections.4 Since the exact contours and boundaries of the ruling coalition are always subject to intense and protracted negotiation, it is never certain who will be in government and who will be out. What is certain is that it is Indonesian elites, not Indonesian voters, who decide what the government will look like and who, if anybody, will serve as opposition.