Publication

This paper studies the impact of domestic politics upon Indonesia’s foreign policy-making. In particular, it focuses on Indonesia's foreign policy with regard to the Iranian nuclear issue while serving as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2007 to 2008. It examines the interplay between the majority Moslem population, religious mass organizations and political parties and how this influences Indonesia's “strategic calculus”. The paper concludes that while the executive still drives the country’s foreign policy, the parliament and sociopolitical groups have new powers to cajole and criticize the government into reversing or softening established policy.