Publication

This paper examines the origins, trajectory and future prospects of three Golkar (the ruling party during Suharto’s New Order regime) splinter parties in Indonesia. The paper first looks at the fragmentation of the Golkar party and the emergence its three splinters: the Hanura, Gerindra and Nasedm parties. It then discusses the main characteristics of these parties, highlighting their differences and similarities. The author argues that the electoral performance of these parties is sustained and highly dependent upon the strong personalities and financial backing of their respective leaders - a viewpoint which supports previous findings which show a shift towards personalized voting in Indonesia.