Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27
December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the
Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)
Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons
regardless of age
Executive branch:
note: on 21 May 1998—less than three months after being selected for
a seventh five-year term—President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO resigned
from office; immediately following his resignation he announced that
Vice President HABIBIE would assume the presidency for the remainder
of the term which expires in 2003; on 28 May 1998, HABIBIE and
legislative leaders announced an agreement to select a new president
in 1999
chief of state: President Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE (since 21 May
1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Bacharuddin J. HABIBIE (since 21 May
1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet
election: president and vice president selected by consensus by the
People's Consultative Assembly for five-year terms; selection last
held 10 March 1998 (next to be held by 10 November 1999)
election results: Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO selected president by
consensus by the People's Consultative Assembly; Bacharuddin J.
HABIBIE selected vice president by consensus by the People's
Consultative Assembly; note—Vice President HABIBIE assumed the
presidency after SOEHARTO's resignation
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan
Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 425 elected by popular vote, 75
are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 29 May 1997 (next to be held 7 June 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party—Golkar 74.5%, PPP 22.43%,
PDI 3.07%; seats by party—Golkar 325, PPP 89, PDI 11
note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 200 indirectly selected
members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice
president and to approve the broad outlines of national policy
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung), the judges are
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Golkar (de facto ruling political
Indonesia Democracy Party or PDI (federation of former Nationalist
chairman]
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC,
CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT,
UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO