Central Axis

File:Amien_Rais.jpg

Central Axis is a term referring to a coalition of Islamic parties formed after the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) won the 1999 Indonesian legislative election. Previously, in June 1999, the PDI-P had won the general election with a percentage of 33%. Given that the president was elected by the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at that time, Megawati was expected to become president. However, on October 7, 1999, Amien Rais formed the Central Axis consisting of Islamic-based parties, such as National Awakening Party (PKB), National Mandate Party (PAN), United Development Party (PPP), Justice Party (PK), and Crescent Star Party (PBB).Gus Nuril Soko Tunggal, Khoerul Rosyadi (2010), Gus Dur's Ritual and the Secret of His Sainthood. Yogyakarta: Galangpress, p. 81. This coalition appointed Abdurrahman Wahid as the third presidential candidate to compete directly with Megawati and Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.{{Cite book | last = Barton | first = Greg | title = Abdurrahman Wahid: Muslim Democrat, Indonesian President | url = https://archive.org/details/abdurrahmanwahid00bart | publisher=University of New South Wales Press | year = 2002 | location = Sydney | isbn = 978-0-86840-405-9 | page = [https://archive.org/details/abdurrahmanwahid00bart/page/281 281]}} After the MPR rejected Habibie's accountability speech, Golkar Party stated that it would support Gus Dur, and on October 20, 1999 Gus Dur was elected president with 373 votes, while Megawati only got 313 votes.{{cite book|last = Conceicao|first = J.F.|title = Indonesia's Six Years of Living Dangerously|url = https://archive.org/details/indonesiassixyea0000conc|publisher = Horizon Books|year = 2005|location = Singapore|pages = [https://archive.org/details/indonesiassixyea0000conc/page/9 9]|isbn = 981-05-2307-6 }} As a compromise, Gus Dur convinced Megawati to run in the vice presidential election, and on October 21, 1999, Megawati was elected as Indonesia's first female vice president.

Fifteen years later, the Central Axis concept resurfaced during the 2014 Indonesian presidential election. There was a proposal for Islamic parties to form a coalition to nominate their own presidential candidate to compete with Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto. However, Amien Rais admitted that the chances of forming a Central Axis were almost impossible because Islamic parties were considered no longer as united as before.{{cite web | url=https://nasional.tempo.co/read/513728/amien-rais-akui-poros-tengah-hampir-mustahil |title =Amien Rais Admits Central Axis is Almost Impossible |publisher=Tempo |date=September 16, 2013 |accessdate= September 28, 2017}}

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Category:Defunct political party alliances in Indonesia

Category:1999 establishments in Indonesia

Category:2004 disestablishments in Indonesia