Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Smita Notosusanto may be petite physically, but it seems she has not lost the energy to articulate the need for reform of the country's electoral syst

Iman Dwianto Nugroho, Surabaya – A loud ring breaks the silence, and in a rush Budi S. quickly picks up his phone.

Dili – Tens of thousands of government supporters gathered in East Timor's capital Friday to mark the 31st anniversary of the foundation of the ruling FRETILIN party in festivities that

Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court ruled on Wednesday that former members of the now-outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) could proceed with a class-action lawsuit agains

Jakarta – A splinter group of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) filed a police report against party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday for her dismissal of 12 PDI

Jayapura – A number of political parties in Papua have established a tariff for anyone wishing to nominate themselves as a regent, deputy-regent, mayor or deputy-mayor.

Nethy Dharma Somba and Sjofiardi Bachyul, Jayapura/Padang – A Papuan scholar criticized on Thursday the Indonesian military's (TNI) decision to allow its personnel to become candidates

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.

Jemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang – Hundreds of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) supporters went on a rampage on Tuesday night in Manggarai, after their candidate

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) decision to expel 12 members of a dissenting group opposed to Megawati Soekarnoputri's leadershi

Jakarta – The multiparty political system has not significantly contributed to regional autonomy and politicians continue to ignore their constituents demands and aspirations, a study s

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar asserted on Friday he would not dismiss or recall any dissenting PKB legislators who had opposed

Jakarta – The election monitoring group the People's Network for Voter Education (JPPR) believes that the provincial offices of the General Elections Commission (KPUD) in a number of pa

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Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The central government is being urged to delay local elections as most regions appear to be unprepared for the polls and existing regulations contain many legal

BE Satrio, Litbang Kompas – Democratisation in Indonesia appears to be taking a step back.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – So much for maturity, let alone democracy, when political parties, which are supposed to serve the various interests of their members and supporters, instead pur

Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is facing an imminent split, with members opposed to the leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri ready to set up a new party s

Budi Hartadi, Singosari – Although the TNI's (armed forces) interest in participating in regional elections has drawn criticism, army chief of staff Lieutenant General Djoko Santoso has

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government issued on Wednesday a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) that will enable the postponement of direct regional elections for

Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief General Endriartono Sutarto has again said that he will allow active TNI members to be nominated to run in regional elections.

Jakarta – A non-governmental organization (NGO) urged the government on Monday not to issue a regulation allowing for a direct appointment of regional election materials providers.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen.

Muhammad Nafik and Blontank Poer, Surakarta – Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid looks set to retain power as chief patron of the National Awakening Party (PKB) he founded six

Hera Diani and Suherdjoko, Semarang – The younger generation of the National Mandate Party (PAN) expressed disappointment on Monday over the election of Soetrisno Bachir as the party's

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Jakarta – Even before the new National Mandate Party (PAN) leader, Soetrisno Bachir, was elected in Semarang, Central Java, over the weekend, a close confidan

Suherdjoko, Semarang – Businessman Soetrisno Bachir took over the National Mandate Party (PAN) leadership on Sunday from founding chairman Amien Rais, as the party seeks to modernize it

Suherdjoko, Semarang – Violence marred the second day of the National Mandate Party's (PAN) national congress on Friday after a significant number of participants failed to obtain regis

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Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Dwi Atmanta, Denpasar – It was a Hollywood film type of happy ending for most of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) members attending its seco

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Jambi – Sixteen small parties are eyeing the possibility of a coalition after a Constitutional Court ruling allowing small parties to nominate their own candidates during the direct ele

Jakarta – After 32 years as the mouthpiece of the ruling Golkar Party during the Soeharto regime, the Suara Karya daily is changing its look and content in a bid to attract more readers

The internal bickering of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), may deal the major party a massive blow at a time that it is still reeling from a double election defeat l

Dwi Atmanta and M.

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Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In line with the recent Constitutional Court decision, the General Elections Commission (KPU) called on the central government on Monday to delay the direc

Dwi Atmanta and M.

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Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta – Small political parties will now be allowed to propose candidates to run in the upcoming direct elections of provincial governors, r

Jakarta – A faction in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), calling itself the Reform Group, has suggested the upcoming party congress form a presidium to provide transi

Jon Afrizal, Jambi – The champions of democracy in Jambi province are no longer consistent in upholding their principles, with many of them getting involved in campaigning for candidate

Yuliawati, Jakarta – A.M.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The provincial offices of the General Elections Commission (KPUD) in Papua said they were unprepared to organize the direct elections for regional heads i

Jakarta – The United Development Party (PPP) has dismissed six top executives for their involvement in an informal meeting last week, which the central board said was an act of betrayal

Hera Diani, Jakarta – The internal strife in the United Development Party (PPP) appears to be worsening after members gathered for informal talks over the weekend demanded that the part

Budi Sugiharto, Surabaya – A declaration of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya has been marred by a fist fight.

Jakarta – A day ahead of the national gathering of the United Development Party (PPP), a survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) revealed on Thursday that the popularity of the

Semarang – An Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Reform Movement was launched at the Panti Marhaen Building on Jalan Brigjen Katamso in Semarang, East Java on Friday aftern

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government is altering the rules on how regional elections should be carried out in the resource-rich provinces of Aceh and Papua, a move which so