Word: parliament
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Late Wednesday night, after Parliament threatened to begin impeachment proceedings and the armed forces commander, General Wiranto, paid a private visit to Suharto's residence, loyalty paid off. The old man was finally stepping down, and Habibie, 61, would take over. Yet even at Thursday morning's hasty ceremony for the handover of power, Habibie kept up his characteristic deference. After a sadly smiling Suharto apologized for his mistakes and announced his resignation, Habibie appeared to hesitate. His mentor gestured with his hand, like a father to a nervous child, and Habibie stepped forward to take the oath of office...
...would it be accepted by anyone outside the presidential palace? To many of the students who celebrated Suharto's departure by dancing for joy in the fountain at the Parliament complex they had occupied for four days, Habibie was a perpetuation of the problem that brought Indonesia to its knees--the authoritarian system of crony capitalism known by its Indonesian acronym of KKN, for corruption, collusion and nepotism. Had all the riots and deaths--more than 500--given Indonesians nothing but a clone of the kleptocrat they had so painfully deposed...
...three months, differences in the officer corps have been papered over and an informal advisory group has been meeting to discuss possible ways of easing Suharto out of power without loss of face to him or threats to national stability. One possible scenario: calling a special session of the parliament in three months' time, when Suharto could announce that he was stepping down and a new President would be appointed. Another option being considered is for Suharto to remain as a figurehead President, while a transitional council of military and civilian officials would be set up to run the country...
...recent moderation on the part of the B.J.P., coupled with the decline of the secular Congress Party, has helped it rocket to prominence. In 1984 the party held just two seats in India's lower house of Parliament; by 1991 it had 119. Today it holds 179 seats out of 545 and took power by cobbling together a coalition of socialists, nationalists and regional parties with vastly different agendas...
...TIME correspondent John Colmey says Indonesians aren't sure if Suharto could manage a transition. The President has to contend with skeptical students, thousands of whom gathered at the Parliament building and vowed not to leave unless he steps down at once. For the students -- still reeling after snipers gunned down six of their own last week -- promises of a gradual transfer of power simply aren't good enough: Suharto must go, and he must go now. With a large demonstration set for Wednesday, and with students promising not to leave the Parliament building, it's shaping...