Crescent Star Party (Indonesia)

The Crescent Star Party (Indonesian: Partai Bulan Bintang) is a conservative^[4] political party in Indonesia based on Islam and Muslim values.^[1][2][3][5]

Crescent Star Party Partai Bulan Bintang
Abbreviation	PBB
General Chairman	Gugum Ridho Putra
Secretary-General	Yuri Kemal Fadlullah
Founded	17 July 1998; 27 years ago (1998-07-17)
Headquarters	Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, Jakarta
Youth wing	Crescent Star Youth Crescent Star Hizbullah Brigade (de facto paramilitary)
Women's wing	Muslimat Bulan Bintang (Crescent Star Muslim Women)
Ideology	Islamic democracy[1][2] Religious nationalism[3] Historical: Islamism[4]
Political position	Right-wing
National affiliation	Advanced Indonesia Coalition (2023–present) Onward Indonesia Coalition (2015–2023) Red-White Coalition (2014–2015) Central Axis (1999–2004)
Ballot number	13
DPR seats	0 / 580
DPRD I seats	12 / 2,372
DPRD II seats	164 / 17,510
Website
partaibulanbintang.or.id
Politics of Indonesia Political parties Elections

History

The party's origins go back to the banning of the Islamic Masyumi Party by Sukarno in 1960.^[6] After the ban, supporters and followers of the party established the Crescent Star Family (Keluarga Bulan Bintang) to continue to press for the implementation of Sharia law and Islamic teaching in Indonesia. Following the fall of Sukarno and the transition to the New Order in which Suharto came to power, members of the organization wanted to revive the Masyumi Party, but this was not allowed by the new regime. In the 1970s, in a meeting in Malang, a new party called Parmusi (Partai Muslimin Indonesia, Muslim Party of Indonesia) was formed. It came fourth in the 1971 legislative elections. In 1973, the party was forced to merge with other Islamic parties into the United Development Party. With the fall of Suharto in 1998, supporters of Masyumi decided to establish a new party. The original plan was to use Masyumi name again, but after consideration, they settled on the name "Crescent Star Party".^[6] The party's first leader was Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a lawyer and former speechwriter for President Suharto.^[7]

Electoral record

The party stood in the 1999 elections, winning 1.9% of the vote and 13 seats in the People's Representative Council. Yusril was appointed justice and law minister. In mid-2000 internal conflict broke out in the party over Yusril's acceptance of financial assistance from former president Jusuf Habibie. It ended with party member Hartono Mardjono establishing a rival Crescent Star Party. After losing a court case, Hartono then established he Indonesian Islamic Party (Partai Islam Indonesia), but this failed to qualify for the 2004 elections. In these elections, the Crescent Star Party won 2.6% of the popular vote and 11 seats. Yusril was later replaced by Malem Sambat Kaban.^[8][9] In the 2009 legislative election, the party won 1.8 percent of the votes, less than the 2.5 percent electoral threshold, meaning it lost all its seats in the People's Representative Council.^[10]

After losing its national parliament seats in the 2009 election, the party never regained its national prominence, only winning 1.46% of the national vote in the 2014 elections, 0.79% in 2019, and 0.32% in 2024, placing it 16th out of the 18 political parties participating in the 2024 elections.

Party platform

The party wants to realize an Islamic way of life. Its mission is to build a society and nation that is developed, highly independent in nature, intelligent, just, democratic and that will play a role in bringing about world peace based on the values of Islam.^[2]

Election results

Presidential election results

Election	Ballot number	Candidate	Running mate	1st round (Total votes)	Share of votes	Outcome	2nd round (Total votes)	Share of votes	Outcome
2004	4	Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono	Jusuf Kalla	39,838,184	33.57%	Runoff	69,266,350	60.62%	Elected
2009	2	Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono	Boediono	73,874,562	60.80%	Elected
2014	1	Prabowo Subianto[11]	Hatta Rajasa	62,576,444	46.85%	Lost
2019	1	Joko Widodo[12]	Ma'ruf Amin	85,607,362	55.50%	Elected
2024	2	Prabowo Subianto	Gibran Rakabuming Raka	96,214,691	58.59%	Elected

Note: Bold text indicates the party member

Legislative election results

Election results for national House of Representatives
Election	Ballot number	Total seats won	Total votes	Share of votes	Outcome of election	Party leader
1999	22	13 / 500	2,049,708	1.94%[13]	13 seats, Governing coalition	Yusril Ihza Mahendra
2004	3	11 / 550	2,970,487	2.62%[14]	2 seats, Governing coalition	Yusril Ihza Mahendra
2009	27	0 / 560	1,864,642	1.79%[14]	11 seats, Governing coalition	Malam Sambat Kaban
2014	14	0 / 560	1,825,750	1.46%[15]	Opposition	Malam Sambat Kaban
2019	19	0 / 575	1,099,848	0.79%[16]	Governing coalition	Yusril Ihza Mahendra
2024	13	0 / 580	484,487	0.32%	Governing coalition	Yusril Ihza Mahendra

Election results for Provincial Regional Houses of Representatives
Election	Province	Seats won	Status	Reference
2019	Bangka Belitung	1 / 45	Joined Demokrat's parliamentary group	[17]
	East Java	1 / 120	Joint parliamentary group with PKS and Hanura	[18]
	West Nusa Tenggara	2 / 65	Joint parliamentary group with PDI-P and Hanura	[19][20]
	North Kalimantan	1 / 35	Joint parliamentary group with PAN, PKB, Nasdem, and PPP	[21]
	Southeast Sulawesi	1 / 45	Joined PDI-P's parliamentary group	[22]
	North Maluku	1 / 45		[23]

See also

• List of Islamic political parties