The presidential elections in Indonesia, July and September 2004

Indonesia's first ever direct presidential election marked another phase in the country's transition to democracy. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (known as SBY) was elected as Indonesia's sixth president. Despite claiming an overwhelming electoral triumph, the president is supported by medium-sized parties whereas the electorate had voted for the larger and more established parties in the 2004 parliamentary election. These parties have vowed to pose as ''an extra-critical balance'' to the president's leadership. Thus, whilst the President won the election, the battle in parliament (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, DPR) had just begun.