Timeline: The road to impeachment

Police try to keep Wahid followers from advancing into parliament grounds

After less than two years in power, President Abdurrahman Wahid has become known for an erratic and sometimes even arrogant style of leadership, in spite of not holding a majority in parliament.

Opposition lawmakers have found political opportunity in two financial scandals to press for his impeachment, even after Indonesia's attorney general cleared him of corruption charges.

October 1999 -- The People's Consultative Assembly elects Abdurrahman Wahid as Indonesia’s fourth president -- the first one to be democratically elected in the country's 54-year history.

January 2000 -- Wahid's personal masseur takes $4 million from the state logistics agency Bulog, saying he was ordered by Wahid. In the same month, Wahid allegedly receives a $2-million personal donation from the Sultan of Brunei for humanitarian work. Only months later did the public learn of the two scandals, known respectively as "Bulogate" and "Bruneigate."

August 2000 -- Wahid re-shuffles his cabinet, putting in new faces but alienating close advisers of Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri and figures from Muslim parties.

January 2001 -- Wahid refuses to cooperate with special committees investigating the two scandals and walks out of a scheduled hearing.

1 February 2001 -- Wahid gets first parliamentary censure over Bulogate and Bruneigate. Supporters rally in his home province of East Java.

7 February 2001 -- Wahid wins a reprieve on impeachment moves, as Megawati’s party and the Golkar party, which share the parliament majority, block moves to hold early impeachment meetings.

8 February 2001 -- Justice Minister Yusril Mahendra resigns after calling on Wahid to step down.

13 February 2001 -- Parliament makes first call on Wahid to share power with Megawati Sukarnoputri.

22 February 2001 -- Wahid leaves the country for a pilgrimage to Mecca amid more demonstrations by his supporters and racial killings by indigenous Dayaks on Madurese settlers in Borneo.

8 March 2001 -- Having rejected moves to come back home amid racial violence, protests greet Wahid as he comes back home to Jakarta from his pilgrimage. Immediately after his return, Wahid visits Central Kalimantan province in Borneo, in a bid to quell racial violence that has already left hundreds dead.

13 March 2001 -- Some 20,000 students demand Wahid’s resignation.

21 March 2001 -- Defense minister Mahfud M.D. claims Wahid is ready to step aside if there are constitutional reasons.

23 March 2001 -- Wahid urges supporters flocking to the capital Jakarta to keep back.

28 March 2001 -- Wahid rejects first censure, saying corruption charges are baseless.

17 April 2001 -- Indonesian police order a crackdown on pro-Wahid squads.

1 May 2001 -- Wahid gets second censure but refuses 30-day period to reply to corruption charges.

14 May 2001 -- Megawati says impeachment proceedings against Wahid are “unstoppable.”

18 May 2001 -- Wahid says impeachment moves by the legislature are illegal and that the judiciary should investigate corruption charges against him.

20 May 2001 -- Speculation spreads of Wahid attempting to dissolve parliament and declaring a state of emergency to keep himself in power.

21 May 2001 -- Wahid rejects speculation he is planning a military revamp.

23 May 2001 -- Wahid seeks military support and calls the generals to the palace. After much resistance, he offers a power-sharing deal to Megawati.

25 May 2001 -- Wahid, Megawati walk out one after the other 20 minutes into a crucial cabinet meeting on the power-sharing deal.

26 May 2001 -- Deadline for Megawati to respond to compromise.

28 May 2001 -- Wahid threatens to declare civil emergency if parliament moves to impeach him.

29 May 2001 -- Attorney General clears Wahid of corruption charges but lawmakers give no assurance impeachment moves would be dropped.

30 May 2001 -- Parliament decides on impeachment moves against Wahid.