08 March 2014
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- Indonesia’s Leadership Transition: Will Jakarta’s Foreign Policy Change? – Analysis
The forthcoming leadership transition in Indonesia will not result in a radical foreign policy change. However, Indonesia is likely to diversify its foreign policy choices by promoting its emerging middle power status. This article continues a series on this year’s national elections.
INDONESIA will undergo a significant transformation this year as the country will hold national elections to choose new legislators at both the national and regional levels and elect a new president to succeed incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has been in power since 2004.
During his presidency which spans two terms, Yudhoyono has been lauded for reviving activism in Indonesia’s foreign policy after years of difficulty following the 1997-1998 Asian financialcrisis and the fall of President Suharto. Will the forthcoming leadership transition result in a drastic change in Indonesia’s foreign policy?
… Awidya Santikajaya is a PhD candidate at the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy, the Australian National University. He contributed this to RSIS Commentaries.
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