<![CDATA[The Indonesian party system adopts a multiparty system, which tends to fail to consolidate democracy. Meanwhile, some argue for applying a party simplification system to strengthen such consolidation. Nevertheless, this article struggles to propose a “moderate multiparty system”. The arguments are initially constructed around a chart of numerically based party systems in most established democratic states. We continue to present the typology of party systems, particularly applying Sartori’s framework. Methodologically, it is qualitative research by applying a case study approach. As part of the primary analysis, we provide a history of party systems in Indonesia from the first election in 1955 to 2024, tracing the evolution from an atomised system to polarised pluralism. The findings revealed modifications to Sartori’s framework of party systems by offering different numbers of parties under new criteria: limited multiparty system, moderate multiparty system, extreme multiparty system, and atomised system. In Indonesia, we prefer a moderate multiparty system to other party systems, given the following arguments: accommodating diverse interests, preventing the emergence of local separatist movements, and avoiding the rise of a hegemonic power with a growing number of satellite parties. Theoretically, this article proposes constructing a new model of the Indonesian party system, i.e., the Moderate Multiparty System (MMS).]]>
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