Thousands of protesters attempted to storm Indonesia’s parliament in Jakarta today, tearing down a section of fence and clashing with police, who fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse the protests. The demonstrations, which also took place in a number of other cities, were sparked by the legislature’s rushed attempt to change electoral laws, an attempt that has now been postponed. (AP)
Our Take
The protests today mark the culmination of a chaotic week in Indonesian politics, and the decision to postpone passing the electoral reforms heads off what could have become a full-blown constitutional crisis.
At issue are two rulings that Indonesia’s Constitutional Court issued earlier this week: