Impeachment in Indonesia and the United States : a comparative study

Abstract

The impeachment process is both crucial and controversial as it may lead to the removal of the head of the executive branch of the country. In Indonesia, this problem rooted in the vagueness of the 1945 Constitution on ruling the impeachment issue. Meanwhile, in the United States, even though the Constitution provides provision on impeachment, debates still arise since the term "misdemeanors" did not have a precise meaning. Hence, politicians interpret it in line with their own political interests. This research aims to explore and analyze the above constitutional problems based on the popular cases that occurred in both Indonesia and the United States i.e. President Sukarno, Abdurrahman Wahid, Andrew Johnson, and William Jefferson Clinton. The research also attempts to find the similarities and differences between the two countries` concept of impeachment as well as their experiences. in conclusion, the research attempts t offer some important notes for a better impeachment process in the future.