Overview

Indonesia has nominally been a republic since achieving independence from the Netherlands in 1949. However, under its first president, Sukarno, Indonesia became increasingly authoritarian and remained so under the New Order dictatorship of General Suharto, who deposed Sukarno following a failed coup attempt in 1965 that killed hundreds of suspected communists. Suharto then served as the leader of the country for more than 40 years.

Indonesia's annexation of the former Portuguese...