Indonesia's democratisation has provided its political parties with the freedom to develop their organisational prowess and break away from the manipulation and suppression that they had suffered during the New Order era (1966-1998). This book assesses the extent to which these changes have become institutionalised by providing the first detailed examination of how the local party branches of four large parties have evolved in the period that has followed: Partai Golkar (Golkar Party), Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP, Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle), Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN, National Mandate Party), and Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS, Prosperous Justice Party) in Malang (East Java). Based on extensive fieldwork and observing the day-to-day operations of local branches in all four political parties, this book provides a new bottom-up perspective on how the activities, administration and membership of each party has changed, and what factors help explain why some political parties in Indonesia have managed to strengthen their institutional base more than others.

This book offers a critical investigation of how political parties have contributed towards Indonesia's transition process. It is the first indepth analysis of the grass-roots organisation of multiple parties after the 1999 and 2004 elections, and will be of particular relevance to those interested in Indonesian studies, democratic transition and the changing nature of political parties.