Last Democracy Standing? Civil Society and Politics in Indonesia

In May 1998, the rule of Soeharto ended and Indonesia embarked on a path toward democracy. The democratisation process meant that there are now elections at all levels of government. Decentralisation policies further devolved power from Jakarta all the way to cities and districts. While the aim was to strengthen the nation but over time it has become clear that very small administrative units often have inadequate administrative capacity to manage the responsibilities. Civil society developed alongside the formal institutions to complement them. This report describes the democratic trajectory, examines future scenarios for civil society and democracy in Indonesia, and discusses how democratic backsliding might be avoided.