Since the fall of the authoritarian New Order regime in 1998, Indonesia has made significant progress in building democratic institutions. As the world’s fourth-largest democracy and largest Muslim-majority country, it adopted a presidential system with direct elections and a vibrant multiparty landscape, and was long viewed as a regional model of democratic transition.

However, in recent years, Indonesia’s democracy has faced serious setbacks. The country is now marked by authoritarian tendencies, shrinking civic space, and erosion of civil liberties and political rights. Civil society, long considered central to democratic governance and sustainable development, is increasingly under pressure.

A bibliometric analysis of 8,029 scholarly works published between 2015 and May 2025 underscores the role of civil society in Indonesia’s development discourse, particularly in public health, human rights, international cooperation and governance reform. Civil society actors remain at the forefront of policy advocacy, especially for marginalised populations.

Recent studies point to a deteriorating environment. Freedom House recorded a decline in Indonesia’s civil liberties and political rights score from 62 in 2019 to 57 in 2024, while the 2024 Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index classified the country as a “flawed democracy”. The 2024 election of Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka also raised concerns about democratic backsliding.

CSOs face legal, bureaucratic and security challenges, including harassment, data breaches, violence, doxing and cyber surveillance. Narratives portraying CSOs as “foreign proxies,” arbitrary arrests and biased investigations further weaken civic space. Limited grassroots engagement and reliance on legalistic strategies also constrain civil society’s response.