Hurdles Ahead for Indonesia

Indonesia’s fledgling democracy is confronted with its biggest test since the June parliamentary elections, the selection of the troubled country’s next president. The winner of Wednesday’s vote will face the enormous challenge of overhauling the country’s crony system, curtailing the power of the military, reversing economic decline and dousing secessionist fires in outlying provinces.

The June election, which removed the ruling Golkar party from power, was just a start. Megawati Sukarnoputri’s Democratic Party in Struggle won most of the parliamentary seats, but she is politically inexperienced and that may cost her the support she needs from other parties to win the presidency.

Indonesian voters have clearly demonstrated at the ballot box--and almost daily in the streets--that they are fed up with the abuses of the ruling elite. They want change, a decisive break with the 32 years of autocracy represented by former President Suharto.

That’s a tall order for the next leader. Indonesia’s economy, after last year’s free-fall, is flat, the currency worth less than a third of what it was two years ago and millions have been plunged into poverty.

Among other things, Indonesia needs a new constitution that will replace the convoluted system of presidential selection with a direct popular vote. Economically, the new government must see that more power and resources are given to the provinces. Unless the new government delivers on these and other expectations, Indonesia faces continuing unrest.