Indonesia braced for more violence

Ms Megawati will take over if Mr Wahid is impeached

Indonesia is braced for more violence from angry supporters of President Abdurrahman Wahid after parliament voted to begin impeachment proceedings against him.

There's no means, there's no door, there's no window which he can use to save his political fate

Amien Rais, speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly

About 2,000 supporters of Mr Wahid had gathered at Jakarta's central Monas square by late morning and more were expected ahead of a planned demonstration against parliament, where 5,000 joined a violent protest on Wednesday.

Security forces were on high alert in Mr Wahid's East Java stronghold which has already seen three days of violence.

The move came amid fears that Mr Wahid will try to dissolve parliament and impose emergency rule after MPs voted overwhelmingly to begin impeachment on Wednesday following allegations of corruption and incompetence. Mr Wahid denies the allegations.

What next

MPR meets to consider charges within two months

MPR made up of MPs and 200 others

Has authority to appoint and dismiss presidents

Wahid to present account of administration

If MPR votes to reject it he has to step down

Megawati takes over for the remainder of his five-year term

Leaders of the different political factions in Indonesia are meeting on Thursday to decide how quickly they should hold a meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly, the country's top policy-making body, which will determine the fate of Mr Wahid.

The BBC's Jonathan Head in Jakarta says it is not clear when the next stage in the political drama will take place, but with so much of the political establishment arranged against him, Mr Wahid has few options left.

A close ally of the president, says Mr Wahid has ruled out declaring a state of emergency.

Foreign Minister Alwi Shahib said the president still hoped that a compromise could be reached to end the country's political crisis.

Presidency 'over'

Amien Rais, speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, believes Mr Wahid's presidency is now over.

"No, there is no way. There's no means, there's no door, there's no window which he can use to save his political fate.

Mr Wahid's supporters tried to storm parliament

"He will be finished in two months."

By law, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which would hear Mr Wahid's defence against the charges, must now meet within 60 days, but its head said it could meet much sooner.

Mr Rais said impeachment proceedings could begin quickly if conditions warranted it and there was "national consensus".

Parliament united

There was certainly consensus in parliament, which voted 365-4 to begin the legal process.

Police arrested Wahid supporters in East Java

Mr Wahid's Muslim party and a smaller Christian party walked out before the vote, while the military faction abstained.

But the BBC's Jonathan Head in Jakarta says that despite the one-sided vote in parliament, millions of Muslims consider Mr Wahid a spiritual leader and are prepared to fight to defend his presidency.

Mr Wahid has refused to resign, although Wednesday's vote to impeach him was the third time parliament has censured him in his 19 months as president.

Last week, he offered substantial power to Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri in an apparent effort to head off impeachment.

No deal

Under the deal, he essentially would have become a figurehead while she took executive power.

But Ms Megawati - who controls the largest faction in parliament - did not accept the deal.

If Mr Wahid is removed from office, she would automatically take over.

Mr Wahid is the first Indonesian leader to face impeachment.

For many Indonesians this is a sad end to a presidency which at its start had raised great hopes of a new beginning for their divided country.