Die Transition zur Demokratie in Indonesien. Überlegungen zum Systemwechsel vom Ende der 80er Jahre bis zur Gegenwart

Abstract This article deals with political developments in Indonesia since 1988, especially since 1997. Priority is given to the description and analysis of four different phases of this transition period (1988-2000). The first phase lasted from the late 1980s until the fall of Suharto. The regime lost its legitimacy, the regime coalition gradually fell apart and the diversified opposition forces gained an ever growing impact upon public debates. These processes accelerated at the beginning of 1998, forcing Suharto fmally to step down. The second phase began with the assumption of office by Habibie and ended with fairly free national elections in June 1999. Although most decisions were made by the conservative government, i.e. by old Suharto followers, the pressure exerted by moderate and radical reformers was strong enough to enforce a significant democratisation. The third phase began in June 1999 and lasted until Abdurrahman Wahid was elected President and formed his coalition government. Ideally, at the end of the last phase the still highly fragile parliamentarian democracy will be sufficiently consolidated.