ABSTRACT
In September 2004, in their first-ever direct presidential elections, Indonesians elected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as their new president in favor of incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri. The political reforms that allowed the direct election of the president have been extremely popular and have transformed the political system. For the first time, an independent candidate with a small party base defeated politicians with relatively strong party networks. While this points to the progress Indonesia has made in creating a stable and representative political system, democracy in Indonesia remains fragile. The government still remains weak and unable to effectively redistribute resources, and many government services deliver sub-standard services because of a lack of resources, mismanagement, and corruption. Governance may be slowly improving as institutions become stronger and democratic processes more routine, but the transition to democracy and the changing relations between the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, and the military have complicated the political environment. Political transition has also created opportunities for the rise of groups opposed to pancasila and Indonesian pluralism.1
