Indonesian Democratic Party

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Political party in Indonesia (1973–2003)

Not to be confused with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or Democratic Party (Indonesia).

Indonesian Democratic Party

Partai Demokrasi Indonesia

Logo

Abbreviation| PDI
Chairperson|

See list

*     * Mohammad Isnaeni
(1973 – 1976)
* Sanusi Hardjadinata
(1976 – 1981)
* Sunawar Sukowati
(1981 – 1986)
* Suryadi
(1986 – 1993)
* Megawati Sukarnoputri
(1993 – 1996)
* Suryadi
(1996 – 1998)
* Budi Hardjono
(1998 – 2003)

* * *

Secretary-General|

See list

*     * Sabam Sirait
(1973 – 1986)
* Nico Daryanto
(1986 – 1993)
* Alexander Litaay
(1993 – 1996)
* Buttu Hutapea
(1996 – 1999)

* * *

Founded| 11 January 1973 (1973-01-11)
Dissolved| 10 January 2003 (2003-01-10)
Merger of|

* PNI
* IPKI
* Murba
* Parkindo
* Katolik

Succeeded by|

* PDI-P (de facto)[1]
* PPDI (de jure)[1][2]

Headquarters| Jakarta, Indonesia
Ideology| Pancasila
Marhaenism
Sukarnoism
(from 1990 onwards)
Political position| Big tent
Minority:
Left-wing
Ballot number (1977–97)| 3

* Politics of Indonesia
* Political parties
* Elections

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The Indonesian Democratic Party (Indonesian: Partai Demokrasi Indonesia, abbr. PDI) was a political party in Indonesia which existed from 1973 to 2003. During the New Order era, the PDI was one of the two state-approved parties, the other being the Islam-based United Development Party (PPP).

## Origins

[edit]

Ten political parties participated in the 1971 legislative elections, a number that President Suharto considered to be too much. Suharto wished that political parties be reduced to just two or three and that the parties should be grouped based on their programs. The electoral system itself already limits the electoral field by eliminating independent candidates and requiring that each party has at least 20 percent of seats in the DPR.[3]

The basis for the merger that would result in the birth of PDI was a coalition of the five Nationalist and non-Islamic Parties in the People's Representative Council (DPR) called the Democracy Development Faction. This faction consisted of the Indonesian National Party (PNI), the League of Supporters of Indonesian Independence (IPKI), Murba Party (Partai Murba), the Indonesian Christian Party (Parkindo), Catholic Party (Partai Katolik).

On 10 January 1973, as part of Suharto's program to reduce political parties, these five parties were merged to form PDI.

## Factions

[edit]

The PNI, the largest of the PDI's five parties, and the legatee of Sukarno, had its base in East and Central Java. IPKI had been strongly anti-PKI in the Old Order in contrast to the once-leftist Partai Murba. Even more heterogeneous than the United Development Party (PPP), the PDI, with no common ideological link other than the commitment to the Pancasila as its sole principle, was faction-ridden and riven with personality disputes.

This factionalism was displayed in the 1977 Indonesian legislative election, the first Legislative Elections that PDI participated in. The Party was unable to show a united front and would come third and last in the 1977 legislative election.

## Government intervention

[edit]

The 1977 legislative election would also see a tense political battle between Golkar and PPP. The government became worried that with PDI struggling to function as a party, Indonesian society would be polarized into a secular camp (Golkar) and an Islamic camp (PPP). To counter this, the Government decided to actively intervene into PDI's affairs and make it into a 3rd party to prevent the polarization that it feared.

Measures were taken by the government to keep PDI going as a party which at one time involved the Minister of Home Affairs to arrange PDI's Congresses for them. Efforts were also made to encourage PDI, such as refurbishing the tomb of the late President Sukarno in 1978 and officially recognizing him as the "Hero of Independence Proclamation".[4] This recognition of Sukarno was a change from the earlier New Order policy of playing down his achievements or ignoring him altogether.

## PDI in New Order

[edit]

Until Suharto's fall in 1998, PDI was the smallest political party in Indonesia. Despite playing up its Sukarnoist heritage when campaigning, PDI continued to come last in the legislative elections.

## Schism with Megawati Sukarnoputri

[edit]

Indonesian Democratic Party rally in Jakarta, 7 May 1997.

At the 1993 National Congress, Megawati Sukarnoputri was elected as the Chairperson of PDI to replace Suryadi. The government refused to recognize this and continued to push for Budi Harjono, their candidate for the Chairpersonship to be elected. A Special Congress was held where the Government expected to have Harjono elected, but Megawati once again emerged victorious. The victory was consolidated when a PDI National Assembly ratified the results of the Congress.

In June 1996, the government finally made its move. Another National Congress was held in Medan, where Megawati was not invited to come along and attended by anti-Megawati members. With the Government's backing, Suryadi was re-elected as PDI's Chairperson. Megawati refused to acknowledge the results of this congress and continued to see herself as the rightful leader of PDI.

Suryadi began threatening to take back PDI's Headquarters in Jakarta. This threat came true during the morning of 27 July 1996.[5] That morning, Suryadi's supporters (reportedly with the government's backing) attacked the PDI Headquarters and faced resistance from Megawati supporters who had been stationed there ever since the National Congress in Medan. In the ensuing fight, Megawati's supporters managed to hold on to the headquarters.

A riot then ensued, followed by a crackdown by the government. The government would later blame the riots on the People's Democratic Party.

PDI was now divided into two factions, Megawati's faction and Suryadi's faction. In the 1997 Indonesian legislative election, Mega and her faction threw their votes behind PPP while PDI languished with only 3% of the votes.

In October 1998, after Suharto's fall, Megawati declared the formation of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to differentiate her faction of PDI from the government-backed one.[1]

## 1999 legislative elections and aftermath

[edit]

PDI participated in the 1999 legislative election and won two seats, but refused to ratify the election results. This was not enough to pass the electoral threshold to allow the party to participate in the following elections in 2004. After failing to join with other parties to reach the threshold, the party renamed itself the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party.[2][1]

## Chairpersons

[edit]

* Mohammad Isnaeni (1973–76)
* Sanusi Hardjadinata (1976–81)
* Sunawar Sukowati (1981–86)
* Suryadi (1986–93, 1996–98)
* Megawati Sukarnoputri (1993–96)
* Budi Harjono (1998–2003)

## Legislative election results

[edit]

Election  | Ballot number  | Total seats won  | Total votes  | Share of votes  | Outcome of election  | Party leader

|
|
|
|
|
|

1977 | 3  |

29 / 360

| 5,504,757  | 8.60%[6] | 29 seats, Governing coalition | Sanusi Hardjadinata
1982 | 3  |

24 / 360

| 5,919,702  | 7.88%[6] | 5 seats, Governing coalition | Sunawar Sukowati
1987 | 3  |

40 / 400

| 9,384,708  | 10.87%[6] | 16 seats, Governing coalition | Suryadi
1992 | 3  |

56 / 400

| 14,565,556  | 14.89%[6] | 16 seats, Governing coalition | Suryadi
1997 | 3  |

11 / 400

| 3,463,225  | 3.06%[6] | 45 seats, Governing coalition | Suryadi
1999 | 32  |

2 / 500

| 655,052  | 0.62%  | 9 seats  | Budi Harjono

## References

[edit]

* 1999 Legislative Elections Profile Archived 7 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Indonesian)
* Akan Tergusurkah Megawati Soekarnoputri? (in Indonesian)
* Megawati Profile on tokohindonesia.com Archived 21 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine (in Indonesian)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Ananta, Aris; Arifin, Evi Nurvidya; Suryadinata, Leo (2005). Emerging Democracy in Indonesia. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 26\. ISBN 981-230-323-5.
2. ^ a b Setiawan, Bambang; Bestian, Nainggolan, eds. (2004). Partai-Partai Politik Indonesia: Ideologi dan Program 2004–2009 [Indonesian Political Parties: Ideologies and Programs 2004–2009] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Kompas. p. 213\. ISBN 979-709-121-X.
3. ^ Bond, Madeleine (26 June 2020). "Is Indonesian Democracy Still Trapped in Old-Style Politics?". Asialink. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
4. ^ Elson, Robert (2001). Suharto: A Political Biography. UK: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. pp. 227 and p.256. ISBN 0-521-77326-1.
5. ^ "Fraksi PDI". Rimanews.
6. ^ a b c d e "Pemilu 1977-1997 - KPU" (in Indonesian). Komisi Pemilihan Umum Republik Indonesia. 21 February 2008. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2018.

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Indonesian Democratic Party

Organization|

* Indonesian Buffalo Youth Movement
* Indonesian Muslim Council

Congress|

* 1st (1976)
* 2nd (1981)
* 3rd (1986)
* 4th (1993)
* Extraordinary (1996)
* 5th (1998)

Party leadership|

| Chairman|

* Mohammad Isnaeni (1973–1975)
* Sanusi Hardjadinata (1975–1981)
* Sunawar Sukowati (1981–1986)
* Suryadi (1986–1993; 1996–1998)
* Megawati Sukarnoputri (1993–1996)
* Budi Hardjono (1998–1999)

|

General Secretary|

* Sabam Sirait (1973–1986)
* Nico Daryanto (1986–1993)
* Alexander Litaay (1993–1996)
* Buttu Hutapea (1996–99)

Merger|

* Indonesian National Party
* League of Supporters of Indonesian Independence
* Murba Party
* Indonesian Christian Party
* Catholic Party

Fractions|

* Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
* Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party

See also|

* History
* Party factions
* Timeline
* Conflict

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in Indonesia

Represented in the national legislature|

* Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (110)
* Golkar Party (102)
* Gerindra Party (86)
* NasDem Party (69)
* National Awakening Party (68)
* Prosperous Justice Party (53)
* National Mandate Party (48)
* Democratic Party (44)

Represented in regional legislatures|

* United Development Party (PPP)
* People's Conscience Party (Hanura)
* Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI)
* Perindo Party
* Crescent Star Party (PBB)
* Nusantara Awakening Party (PKN)
* Garuda Party
* Gelora Party
* Ummah Party (Ummat)
* Labour Party (Buruh)

Represented only in Aceh legislature|

* Aceh Party (PA)
* Aceh Just and Prosperous Party (PAS Aceh)
* Aceh State Party (PNA)
* Aceh Abode Party (PDA)
* SIRA Party

Non-legislature parties

Regional|

* Aceh People's Party (PRA)
* Aceh Unity Party (PBA)
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National|

* Berkarya Party
* Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB)
* Green Party of Indonesia (PHI)
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* Union of Independent People (SRI)

Former political parties

Pre-independence|

* Association of Political Organisations of the Indonesian People (PPPKI)
* Catholic Party (Katolik)
* Chung Hwa Hui
* Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI)
* Gerindo
* Indische Party (IP)
* Indonesian Fascist Party (PFI)
* Indonesian Islamic Party (PII)
* Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII)
* Indonesian National Party (PNI)
* Indonesian Political Federation (GAPI)
* Insulinde
* Paguyuban Pasundan
* Parindra
* Partai Tionghoa Indonesia
* Partindo

Sukarno era|

| Independent
Indonesia|

* Acoma Party
* Catholic Party (Katolik)
* Chinese Indonesian Democratic Party (PDTI)
* Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI)
* Dayak Unity Party (PPD)
* Great Indonesia Unity Party (PIR)
* Indonesian Christian Party (Parkindo)
* Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII)
* Indonesian Marhaen People's Union (Permai)
* Indonesian National Party (PNI)
* Indonesian Peasants Party (PTI)
* Islamic Education Movement Party (PERTI)
* Islamic Tharikah Unity Party (PPTI)
* Islamic Victory Force (AKUI)
* Labour Party (PB)
* Labour Party of Indonesia (PBI)
* League of Supporters of Indonesian Independence (IPKI)
* Masyumi Party
* Murba Party
* Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
* National People's Party (PRN)
* Party of the People of Free Indonesia (PRIM)
* Socialist Party (PS)
* Socialist Party of Indonesia (PSI)
* Socialist Party of Indonesia (Parsi)
* Socialist People's Party (Parsas)
* Village People's Union (PRD)

|

Pre-integration
West New Guinea|

* Indonesian Irian Independence Party (PKII)

New Order|

* Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
* Muslim Party of Indonesia (Parmusi)

Reform era|

* Archipelago Republic Party (RepublikaN)
* Democratic Nationhood Party (PDK)
* Democratic Renewal Party (PDP)
* Freedom Party (Merdeka)
* Functional Party of Struggle (Pakar Pangan)
* Indonesian Democratic Party of Devotion (PKDI)
* Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI)
* Indonesian National Populist Fortress Party (PNBK-I)
* Indonesian Unity Party (PSI)
* Indonesian Youth Party (PPI)
* Labour Party (PB)
* National People's Concern Party (PPRN)
* National Sun Party (PMB)
* Patriot Party
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* People's Democratic Party (PRD)
* Pioneers' Party (Pelopor)
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