Indonesia's April 2004 Parliamentary Elections: Implications for Presidential Elections and Policies. Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Volume 3, Number 6, June 2004.
Abstract
The most obvious implication of the April 5, 2004 election for Indonesia's parliament is the halving of vote share for the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), the party of incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri. This result means that Megawati will struggle to win a second term in presidential elections scheduled for October. Megawati will still be a contender for another term, but now faces tough competition from two former generals. Golkar, a political vehicle for former President Soeharto, and now the largest party in Indonesia, has nominated General Wiranto as its candidate. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Megawati's former coordinating minister for security, managed a respectable showing of his new party - the Democratic Party - and now leads opinion polls to become the head of state. Under election rules, seven parties have achieved enough representation to nominate a candidate for the presidency, although only five have done so. Another party in the spotlight is the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), a new Islamist party on the scene. The Islamist share of the vote has risen slightly to around 20%, but is split between various parties. Islamist parties, even if they can coalesce, will still lack the support to challenge the religious pluralism of the Indonesian state.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA495835
Entities
People
- Anthony L. Smith
Organizations
- Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies