Prime Minister of Indonesia

Prime Minister of Indonesia
Prime Minister of Indonesia
	National Emblem of Indonesia
	Sutan Sjahrir, first Prime Minister of Indonesia
Appointer	President
Precursor	None
Formation	14 November 1945
First holder	Sutan Sjahrir
Final holder	Raden Djuanda Kartawidjaja (official); Sukarno (unofficial)
Abolished	9 July 1959 (Constitutional basis revoked); 25 July 1966 (Resignation of Sukarno)
Succession	None

The position of Prime Minister of Indonesia (Indonesian: Perdana Menteri Republik Indonesia) existed from 1945 until 1967. During this period, the prime minister was in charge of the Cabinet of Indonesia, one of the three branches of government along with the People's Representative Council and the president. Following his 1959 decree, President Sukarno assumed the role and powers of prime minister until his resignation in 1966.

Indonesian National Revolution[]

On 18 August 1945, a day after the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, Sukarno was appointed president and the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia came into force, which stated that Indonesia was built around a presidential system; as such, there were no constitutional provisions for a prime minister, and the cabinet was directly responsible to the president. However following Vice-Presidential Edict No.X, on 11 November the cabinet was made responsible to the provisional legislature, the Central Indonesian National Committee (Indonesian: Komite Nasional Indonesia Pusat (KNIP)), effectively suspending the constitution. The cabinet was dismissed, and Sutan Sjahrir was asked to become the first prime minister. He agreed to do so on the condition he was allowed to select his own cabinet. The new cabinet was announced on 14 November with the understanding that although the prime minister was responsible to the Working Committee of the KNIP, he had to consult the president before making any major decisions. If the prime minister came into conflict with the KNIP or the president, another could be chosen.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Internal political disputes prompted Sjahrir to resign on 28 March, but he was asked to form the next cabinet. This fell in October, but yet again, Sjahrir agreed to continue as prime minister in the new cabinet.^[5] He finally resigned on 27 June, after being fatally weakened by concessions he had made to the Dutch following the signing of the Linggadjati Agreement. He was replaced by Amir Sjarifuddin, and Sjahrir became Indonesian representative at the United Nations.^[6]^[7] Sjariffuddin in turn resigned in turn following withdrawal of political support in the aftermath of the Renville Agreement. Sukarno then appointed vice-president Mohammad Hatta, asking him to form an emergency cabinet answerable to him rather than to the KNIP.^[8]^[9]

United States of Indonesia[]

On 27 December 1949, the Netherlands transferred sovereignty to a federal United States of Indonesia (RUSI), of which the Republic of Indonesia was one state. The Federal Constitution provided for a prime minister, and Hatta became the only prime minister of the RUSI. As this caused a vacuum of power in the Republican administration, Susanto Tirtoprodjo, justice minister in the previous cabinet, was appointed acting prime minister at the head of a transitional cabinet. On 22 January 1950, the new prime minister, announced his cabinet. The terms of both Hatta and Halim ended when the RUSI was dissolved and Indonesia became a unitary state on 17 August 1950 .^[10]^[11]

Liberal and Guided Democracy eras[]

Under the constitution of the unitary state, the cabinet was once again responsible to parliament, with the prime minister appointed by the president.^[12]^[13] Due to the instability of the coalition cabinets, prime ministers often faced votes of no confidence. Every major policy change had a chance to be opposed, either by the government or opposition. As such, some cabinets lasted only a few months.^[14]

On 5 July 1959, Sukarno issued a presidential decree declaring that, due to the inability of the Constitutional Assembly of Indonesia to decide on a new constitution, the 1945 Constitution would be reinstated. This removed the constitutional foundation for the office of Prime Minister. However, on 9 July of that same year, Sukarno took on the title of prime minister in addition to the presidency;^[15] later using the phrase "I am president and prime minister" as a dominant message in his speeches.^[16] After the abortive coup against the government in 1965 and the release of a document transferring all political power to Suharto, in 1967 Sukarno lost the title of prime minister together with the presidency.^[17]^[18]

List of prime ministers[]

Political parties

Independent

Socialist Party

Masyumi Party

Indonesian National Party

	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office^[19]			Political party
	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party
Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949)
		Sutan Sjahrir (1909–1966)	14 November 1945	27 June 1947	1 year, 225 days	Socialist Party
		Amir Sjarifuddin (1907–1948)	3 July 1947	29 January 1948	210 days	Socialist Party
		Mohammad Hatta (1902–1980)^[a]	29 January 1948	6 September 1950	2 years, 220 days	Independent
United States of Indonesia (1949–1950)
		Mohammad Hatta (1902–1980)	29 January 1948	6 September 1950	2 years, 220 days	Independent
Republic of Indonesia (1949–1950)
		Susanto Tirtoprodjo (1900–1969)	29 January 1948	21 January 1950	1 year, 357 days	Indonesian National Party
		Abdul Halim (1911–1988)	21 January 1950	15 August 1950	206 days	Independent
Unitary Republic (from 1950)
		Mohammad Natsir (1908–1993)	6 September 1950	27 April 1951	233 days	Masyumi Party
		Soekiman Wirjosandjojo (1898–1974)	27 April 1951	3 April 1952	342 days	Masyumi Party
		Wilopo (1908–1981)	3 April 1952	1 August 1953	1 year, 120 days	Indonesian National Party
		Ali Sastroamidjojo (1903–1976)	1 August 1953	12 August 1955	2 years, 11 days	Indonesian National Party
		Burhanuddin Harahap (1917–1987)	12 August 1955	26 March 1956	227 days	Masyumi Party
		Ali Sastroamidjojo (1903–1976)	26 March 1956	9 April 1957	1 year, 14 days	Indonesian National Party
		Djuanda Kartawidjaja (1911–1963)	9 April 1957	9 July 1959	2 years, 91 days	Independent
		Sukarno (1901–1970)^[b]	9 July 1959	25 July 1966	7 years, 16 days	Independent

Presidium Chairman of Cabinet[]

	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party
	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party
		Suharto (1921–2008)	28 July 1966	11 October 1967	1 year, 75 days	Independent

Notes[]

^ Dutch prisoner from 19 December 1948 to 13 July 1949.
^ President, self-appointed as Prime Minister.

References[]

^ Abdullah 2009, pp. 129–130.
^ Kahin 1952, pp. 168–169.
^ Pringgodigdo 1957, pp. 8–9.
^ Ricklefs 2009, pp. 342–345.
^ Kahin 1952, pp. 176, 192.
^ Kahin 1952, pp. 206–208.
^ Ricklefs 2009, p. 362.
^ Kahin 1952, pp. 231.
^ Ricklefs 2009, p. 364.
^ Ricklefs 2009, pp. 372–373.
^ Simanjuntak 2003, p. 102-107.
^ Kahin 1952, p. 463.
^ Pringgodigdo 1957, p. 233.
^ Abudllah 2009, p. 245.
^ Ricklefs 2008, p. 417.
^ Abdullah 2009, p. 347.
^ Ricklefs 2001, pp. 453, 460.
^ Cribb & Kahin 2004, p. 419.
^ Cribb & Kahin 2004, pp. 479–480.

Bibliography

Abdullah, Taufik (2009). Indonesia: Towards Democracy. Singapore: Institute of South-East Asian Studies. ISBN 978-981-230-365-3. OCLC 646982290. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
Kahin, George McTurnan (1952). Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-9108-8.
Cribb, Robert; Kahin, Audrey (2004). Historical Dictionary of Indonesia. Scarecrow Press Inc. ISBN 978-0-8108-4935-8.
Pringgodigdo, Abdul Karim (1957). The office of President in Indonesia as defined in the three constitutions, in theory and practice. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University.
Ricklefs, M.C. (2008) [1981]. A History of Modern Indonesia Since c.1300 (4th ed.). London: MacMillan. ISBN 978-0-230-54685-1.
Simanjuntak, P. N. H. (2003), Kabinet-Kabinet Republik Indonesia: Dari Awal Kemerdekaan Sampai Reformasi [Cabinets of the Republic of Indonesia: From the Beginning of Independence to the Reform Era] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Djambatan, ISBN 979-428-499-8

External links[]

[20] Dutch prisoner from 19 December 1948 to 13 July 1949.

[21] President, self-appointed as Prime Minister.

[FOOTNOTEAbdullah2009129–130-1] Abdullah 2009, pp. 129–130.

[FOOTNOTEKahin1952168–169-2] Kahin 1952, pp. 168–169.

[FOOTNOTEPringgodigdo19578–9-3] Pringgodigdo 1957, pp. 8–9.

[FOOTNOTERicklefs2009342–345-4] Ricklefs 2009, pp. 342–345.

[FOOTNOTEKahin1952176,_192-5] Kahin 1952, pp. 176, 192.

[FOOTNOTEKahin1952206–208-6] Kahin 1952, pp. 206–208.

[FOOTNOTERicklefs2009362-7] Ricklefs 2009, p. 362.

[FOOTNOTEKahin1952231-8] Kahin 1952, pp. 231.

[FOOTNOTERicklefs2009364-9] Ricklefs 2009, p. 364.

[FOOTNOTERicklefs2009372–373-10] Ricklefs 2009, pp. 372–373.

[FOOTNOTESimanjuntak2003102-107-11] Simanjuntak 2003, p. 102-107.

[FOOTNOTEKahin1952463-12] Kahin 1952, p. 463.

[FOOTNOTEPringgodigdo1957233-13] Pringgodigdo 1957, p. 233.

[FOOTNOTEAbudllah2009245-14] Abudllah 2009, p. 245.

[FOOTNOTERicklefs2008417-15] Ricklefs 2008, p. 417.

[FOOTNOTEAbdullah2009347-16] Abdullah 2009, p. 347.

[FOOTNOTERicklefs2001453,_460-17] Ricklefs 2001, pp. 453, 460.

[FOOTNOTECribb_&_Kahin2004419-18] Cribb & Kahin 2004, p. 419.

[FOOTNOTECribb_&_Kahin2004479–480-19] Cribb & Kahin 2004, pp. 479–480.

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