Yusril Ihza Mahendra (born 5 February 1956) is an Indonesian lawyer, politician and academic, who is currently serving as the leader of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) from 2015 to 2024.

Previously, he served as the leader of the PBB from 1998 until 2005, Minister of Justice and Human Rights from 2004 until 2007 and 2024 until 2029, and member of the People's Representative Council from 1999 until 2009.

He continued the tradition of Malay intellectuals from his family who studied philosophy, religion, law, art and literature.

He attended the University of Indonesia (UI), becoming close with his lecturer, Professors Ismail Suny and Osman Raliby.

He tutored children in reading the Quran, taught martial arts, and sold fish and coconuts.

[3] Following this he became a lecturer at the Muhammadiyah University in Jakarta (UMJ), and at the Socialization Skills Academy in the Ministry of Justice.

[3] When Suharto was re-elected to his final term as President in March 1998, he was appointed Aide to the Assistant of the State Secretary.

In the 1945 Constitution, Article 29 Section 1 originally read "The State is based on the belief in God with the obligation to obey Sharia law for its adherers".

To achieve his political goal, Yusril formed the Crescent Star Party (PBB) on 17 July 1998 and was elected as its first chairman.

[8] In the lead up to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) General Session, PBB joined forces with the other Muslim Parties to form the Central Axis.

As the MPR assembled in 1999, the Central Axis had their support behind National Awakening Party's Abdurrahman Wahid with their opponents being Golkar's President Habibie and the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle's (PDI-P) Megawati Sukarnoputri.

When Habibie's accountability speech was not accepted, he refused to run and the Presidential race came down to Wahid and Megawati.

[9] However, Yusril would drop out of the race with little time to spare before the election process and Wahid would emerge as the President.

When Wahid named his national unity cabinet, Yusril was appointed to the position of Minister of Laws and Legislations.

Now out of the cabinet, Yusril and PBB threw their weight behind all the other political parties planning to impeach Wahid through a MPR Special Session.