Indonesia recently held the largest presidential election in the world. As a republic with a constitution and a presidential system of government, the central government holds substantial power. The system has evolved from the Dutch system with later influence by models such as that found in the United States. Recently, internal pressure has been a key driver of reform. Continual revision and adjustments are common as the system, which provides stability for one of the largest national populations on Earth, continues to adapt.
The Head of State is the President who also holds the offices of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and the director of domestic governance, policy-making and foreign affairs. The council of ministers who assist in the processes of government are appointed by the President and are not necessarily elected members of the legislature.
The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), consisting of two separate houses: the 560 member People's Representative Council (DPR) and the 132 member Regional Representative Council (DPD ), is the highest level of the elected legislature and has the power to impeach the President and interpret and amend the Constitution. The DPD’s jurisdiction is predominantly focussed upon regional matters while the DPR has a growing input into National matters.
The judicial system consists of a Supreme Court as the ultimate judicial body to hear appeals and review specific cases. The system under the Supreme Court consists of a series of specifically focussed courts: Commercial Court, Constitutional Court, Religious Court, Administrative Court are some of the more significant ones.
Indonesia is administered through a tiered structure of authority. From top to bottom: National, Regional (33 provinces), Sub-regional, regencies (kabupaten), cities (kota), village groupings (either desa or kelurahan, individual villages, citizen groups (Rukun-Warga (RW)), and finally neighbourhood groups (Rukun-Tetangga (RT)). The village chief is very influential and peoples’ daily lives are most influenced by this level of administration.