President of the Republic of Indonesia |
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Presidential seal
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Style | His/Her Excellency |
Residence | Merdeka Palace |
Seat | Jakarta |
Appointer | Direct popular election |
Term length | Five years renewable once |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Indonesia |
Inaugural holder |
Sukarno 18 August 1945 |
Formation | 18 August 1945 |
Website | www |
The President of the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Presiden Republik Indonesia) is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The President leads the executive branch of the Indonesian government and is the commander-in-chief of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.
On 20 October 2014, Joko Widodo became the 7th and current President of Indonesia.
The Indonesian presidency was established during the formulation of the 1945 Constitution by the Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI). The office was first filled on 18 August 1945 when Sukarno was elected by acclamation by the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) because the body responsible for the presidential elections, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), had not yet been formed. On 16 October 1945, Vice-President Mohammad Hatta announced a vice-presidential decree which turned the Central National Committee of Indonesia (KNIP) equal status with that of the president. On 11 November 1945, the KNIP made the decision to separate the role of Head of State with that of Head of Government. Although a new constitution had not been set up yet, Indonesia was now a de facto parliamentary democracy with the president as a ceremonial Head of State whose function was to ask the prime minister as the Head of the Government to form a new Cabinet.