Indonesia’s Democratic Decline: What Prabowo Means for German–Indonesian Partnership

This policy paper redefines hybrid threats stemming from authoritarian uses of technology that cause everyday harm. It introduces ‘integrated and collective resilience’ as a multidimensional response, drawing lessons from South and Southeast Asia and fostering EU–Asia cooperation.

On 14 February 2024 Indonesia voted for a new president and a new parliament. GIGA expert PD Dr. Andreas Ufen analyses the election results and explains in an interview what challenges they pose for the country’s democracy going forwards.

Using new data from 42,000+ Islamic boarding schools, this analysis maps Indonesia's pesantren landscape for the first time—revealing geographic patterns, organizational ties to NU, accelerated growth after democratization, and surprising correlations with electoral outcomes.

Als die portugiesische Kolonialherrschaft im Osten der Pazifik-Insel Timor endete, kam eine neue Fremdherrschaft: 1975 marschierten indonesische Streitkräfte in Osttimor ein. Es folgten Jahre der Gewalt. Doch die Geschichte ging gut aus.

GIGA researchers Andreas Ufen, Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir, Nathanael Gratias Sumaktoyo, Oliver Schramm and Iris Wieczorek took part in this roundtable at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin. The participants explored how far Indonesia’s and Germany’s foreign policy interests align and how Indonesian foreign policy is viewed in Berlin. They discussed the extraordinarily difficult geopolitical and geoeconomic condition in the region, and stressed the enormous potential of bilateral relations between Germany and Indonesia. Both countries would benefit from much more intensive cooperation in different policy areas.

In Indonesien wächst zwischen Armut, Polizeigewalt und Machtmissbrauch der Widerstand – und entlädt sich in gewaltsamen Protesten. PD Dr. Andreas Ufen liefert Hintergründe zu dem Aufstand im Artikel für das IDG Journal der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. 

In Indonesien halten die Proteste trotz massiver Militärpräsenz auf den Straßen an. Im Interview mit Deutschlandfunk Kultur erklärt Dr. Andreas Ufen, gegen wen sich die Wut der Demonstrierenden richtet.

In Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, observed disparities in Influence Operation campaigns’ aims, organization, and funding are tied to the distinct nature of elite competition, the degree to which ruling elites harness state institutions to suppress opposition and election campaigns

Entscheidend wird jetzt sein, den freien Handel mit anderen Staaten zu stärken. Einen wichtigen Schritt ist die EU mit Indonesien gegangen, ähnliche müssen schnell folgen, fordert Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest.

This policy paper redefines hybrid threats stemming from authoritarian uses of technology that cause everyday harm. It introduces ‘integrated and collective resilience’ as a multidimensional response, drawing lessons from South and Southeast Asia and fostering EU–Asia cooperation.

On 14 February 2024 Indonesia voted for a new president and a new parliament. GIGA expert PD Dr. Andreas Ufen analyses the election results and explains in an interview what challenges they pose for the country’s democracy going forwards.