Indonesia continues its descent into the political maelstrom. The threats and manipulations of beleaguered President Abdurrahman Wahid seem to have failed and Parliament looks set to launch the impeachment process this week. It is hard to contest the charges. Mr. Wahid, Indonesia's first democratically elected president, and a towering moral figure during the Suharto years, has been a disaster in office. Indonesia, and all of Asia, needs stability in Jakarta. Mr. Wahid has not been able to provide it.
The impeachment drive has been gaining momentum since Mr. Wahid was censured for a second time by the legislature on April 30. Indonesia's constitution requires that a month pass before Parliament can begin the formal impeachment process. It now seems likely that legislators will call a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, which is comprised of 500 members of Parliament and 200 appointed regional representatives. Mr. Wahid must give an accountability speech to that body; if it is rejected, the president is impeached. Mr. Wahid could be stripped of his power by late July or early August.
The odds against Mr. Wahid are long. All of the large parties are against him and his own National Awakening Party holds only 10 percent of the seats in the Parliament.