National Election Institute

Overview

The door to democratic reform was symbolically thrown open in Indonesia in 1998, with the first transparent and open elections in the Republic of Indonesia history. Ground-breaking not only in the remarkable increase the legislative elections were exceptional in the equal access to media for all parties, the launching of a nation-wide voter education campaign, and the presence of domestic election monitors.

Indonesia has continued to serve as a model of democratic reform in the region, as it perseveres along a steady path of development and democratic change. Specific advances can be seen in personal freedoms, particularly with the Constitution 1945 amendment, and a significant move by the President (BJ Habibie) towards the reparation and recognition of the abuses of Soeharto's regime was made with the establishment of the National Reconciliation.

Recently, electoral and political reforms including a new Political Party Law, modifications to the electoral code, and the launch General Election Commision have begun to set the stage for the much anticipated 2004 parliamentary and President elections. Colored by such developments and coupled with an increased interest and involvement by both political parties and civil society, the elections will afford a test for the future of democratic change in the Republic.

NEI is implementing programs to support and strengthen local efforts in democratic transition. Current projects emphasize support of the elections process, with a focus on promoting interaction between citizens and representatives.

Focus Group Research

The People’s Mirror was established in 2008 with a central objective to establish a better link between decision-makers and the public opinion the affect through public opinion research. With a focus upon democratic and social issue

As a neutral and cost-effective way to develop a greater understanding of the what, why and how questions of public opinion, NEI has observed a growing interest and appreciation by local/region and national actors in the strategic value of public opinion research. Such a marked impact on political actors and the sustainable development community in Indonesia and beyond, has led The People’s Mirror Context into its present transition into a local entity.