Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Tuesday is set to pass a bill allowing independent candidates to contest local elections for governor, mayor and regent.

ID Nugroho, Surabaya – Political parties in East Java have recruited members from a dominant local Muslim organization in an apparent strategy to win the province's first-ever gubernato

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Political bargaining was involved in the selection of five Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) members by the House of Representatives, observers said Friday.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Former president Megawati Sukarnoputri on Saturday said a PDI-P win in the upcoming gubernatorial election in West Java would pave the way for the party to w

Lilian Budianto and Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The House of Representatives is still split over simultaneous legislative and presidential elections, one of the main issues in ongoing d

Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid says he intends to run in next year's presidential elections.

Abdul Khalik and Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may find it difficult to run for another term should the House of Representatives approve a tighter requir

The National Awakening Party (PKB) patron and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid was positive about his prospects in the upcoming 2009 presidential elections, after his recent

Jakarta – The Golkar Party has drawn criticism for proposing only political groups winning at least 30 percent of national votes in the 2009 legislative election should be allowed to no

Jakarta – The National Awakening Party (PKB) is gathering public support in its ambitious goal of winning 65 percent of the vote in the 2009 legislative elections.

Jakarta – Major political parties emerged the winner in the tug-of-war that preceded the House of Representatives' endorsement Monday of the election bill.

Surabaya – Coalitions between political parties in the direct election of regional heads in Indonesia are very fluid in character.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The government has begun screening documents of 47 new political parties hoping to contest next year's general elections.

Nograhany Widhi K, Jakarta – Political parties appealing to young people, which have been proliferating of late, arrived at the Department of Justice and Human Rights on the last day of

Nurul Hidayati, Jakarta – The Department of Justice and Human Rights has announced that 47 political parties have successfully completed their documentation and will undergo verificatio

Jakarta – Distribution of left-over votes, parliamentary and electoral thresholds and vote casting methods were among the issues argued by House of Representatives lawmakers and governm

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – The GAM Party, one of the local political parties in Indonesia's northernmost province of Aceh, has officially changed its party name and symbol.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – One of the pioneer organizations of the United Development Party (PPP) has thrown its weight behind the incumbent president and vice president to run in the 20

Jakarta – The House of Representatives has agreed to adopt a parliamentary threshold system for political parties to obtain seats in the legislature following the 2009 elections.

Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – The increasing involvement of businesspeople in Indonesian politics is seen as a positive trend for the country to help address the problem of poverty.

Jakarta – Observers on Sunday criticized the government's proposal to limit the number of independent candidates in regional elections, saying it would only further the interests of pol

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Departing from public expectations, the 2009 legislative election will likely grant more seats to political parties' loyalists than people's representatives.

The weak leadership of Islamic parties and their ignorance of the principles of pluralism will lead them to defeat in the 2009 Legislative Election, said a political analyst.

Jakarta – The government recommended Wednesday the House of Representatives limit the number of independent candidates running for regional elections to maintain a balance between indep

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – A warning signal was raised today for political parties referring to themselves as Islamic parties.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Using a parliamentary threshold in the next legislative election would simplify Indonesia's multi-party system, a coalition of non-governmental organizations sa

Dicky Christanto, Nusa Dua, Bali – An alliance of civil society groups has prepared tougher measures to strengthen its anti-graft campaign against corrupt politicians across the country

Irawaty Wardany, Sanur, Bali – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) announced it will target 20 percent of votes in the 2009 legislative election, and welcomes non-Muslim constituents, th

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Only two out of 10 local political parties in Aceh Nanggroe Darussalam have satisfied requirements to participate in the verification process scheduled for Feb

Jakarta – After nearly 10 years, democracy in Indonesia has not produced quality leadership at central and regional levels, a seminar concluded Wednesday.

East Timor's prosecutor general will not investigate claims the country's prime minister was behind deadly unrest that erupted in 2006, saying the allegations are "too political".

There's been another twist in East Timor's increasingly bitter internal politics, with former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri demanding that current prime minister Xanana Gusmao resign.

East Timor's former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has called on current Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao to resign, amid claims he orchestrated deadly unrest that erupted in 2006.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) won regional elections in most areas last year, beating its long-time rival, the Golkar Party.

Jakarta – Secular-nationalist and Islamic party coalitions were the most successful in the country's regional elections throughout 2007, while only a few female candidates managed to wi

Discourses on the necessity of young leaders emerging in the national political arena have raised debates among many facets of society, including the young generation itself.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Civil servants Monday rallied at the governor's office in Makassar, South Sulawesi, the second protest against the Supreme Court's decision to call for repea

Jakarta – A coalition of NGOs voiced their objections on Sunday to a proposal that political parties be allowed to run candidates in elections for the Regional Representatives Council,

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – The political situation in South Sulawesi is heating up following the issuance of a ruling by the Supreme Court on a repeat gubernatorial election in the pro

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Thousands of supporters of South Sulawesi's governor-elect have pledged to continue protesting the Supreme Court's decision of holding repeat elections in fo

Jakarta – A newly-established political party based on the Hindu principle of good deeds expressed its optimism Saturday that it would run in the 2009 general elections.

Jakarta – A recent national survey has shown if the national election was to be held this month, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) would beat the Golkar Party and the

Jakarta – The large number of incumbent officials that have been loosing in regional elections is being caused by a number of factors, including the public's rejection of status quo for

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Young members of the country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, announced Sunday the establishment of the Matahari Bangsa Party (PMB) at th

Jakarta – A senior executive of Golkar, the country's largest political party, said Wednesday maintaining the pairing of current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Ju

Jonathan Strauss – Dita Sari, who is head of the advisory council of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) and also a member of the advisory council of Indonesian National F

Alfian, Jakarta – An NGO alliance called Ganofo said Tuesday the government should combine the 2009 legislative and presidential elections in efforts to stabilize the government and str

Bima Baskara and Sultani – With one-and-a-half years to go before the 2009 general elections, political party discussions about finding a national leadership candidate have already spru

Alfian, Jakarta – Researchers and experts have opposed to the government's plan to prohibit political surveys and "quick counts" in elections, saying the move denies the public's right

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Indonesia's two largest political parties have recommended for a smaller number of parties contest the 2009 general election in order to achieve effective demo