The Military, Politics, and Populism in Indonesia

The military institution has faced a dilemma emerges because there is political opportunity for military to return to politic practices due to civilian inferior political groups who disappointed with the dynamic democratization process. The failure of democratic transition some countries with democratic politics that cannot shape into democratic country was caused by inferiority factor of civil politicians who lured military to take part into practical politics. Situation, both politics and threat against State has made military institution considered as answer to unresolved civilian government. In Indonesia, the weak civilian group as a known as Continuous Islamic Defending Rally (Aksi Bela Islam-ABI) has increased political tension of several political elites in Jakarta including some military officers who considered the ruling civil government incapable to control the situation. Base on that the paper will elaborate the position of military in the context of national leader based on current political dynamics. There is a current of the TNI neutrality as an institution to keep distance with political practice and militaristic culture. The paper will also elaborate the role of TNI in national leadership formation as part of administration through democratic process, where national leader should be selected from political mechanism that supported democratic political system.