Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Resigns Amid Diploma Dispute and Political Rift

Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has resigned, an aide said on Wednesday, in a move that threatens to split the political alliance that brought President Prabowo Subianto to power and risks further uncertainty in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Gibran resigns after weeks of mounting pressure over court rulings that found his education documents did not meet the requirements to hold the office.

FAKTA

• What happened: Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka tendered his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday 11 November, his aide Budi Arie Setiadi told Reuters.
• Next step: Two sources at the parliamentary upper house said Gibran would submit his resignation letter to the chamber on Thursday morning, 12 November.
• Why he resigned: Constitutional Court and Supreme Court rulings last month found his education documents did not meet election requirements; on Tuesday the Supreme Court instructed the education ministry to withdraw his education equivalence certificate, which the court annulled.
• Impeachment pressure: Earlier on Wednesday, about 120 lawmakers from across the political spectrum submitted a petition demanding Gibran’s impeachment.
• Acceptance unclear: It remains unclear whether President Prabowo has accepted the resignation.
• The process: The upper house must convene a session to declare a vacancy and ask the president to submit two names for a replacement, after which an election would be held within 60 days.

Gibran Resigns After Court Rulings on Education Documents

Gibran, 39, the eldest son of former President Joko Widodo, had come under intense scrutiny from lawmakers after the courts ruled that the documents behind his 2024 candidacy did not meet the requirements of Indonesian election law. The law requires vice-presidential candidates to have completed senior high school or an equivalent level of education.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court said it was instructing the education ministry to withdraw Gibran’s education equivalence certificate, which the court has annulled. Gibran, who studied abroad, had used the certificate to comply with the education requirements and run in the 2024 election, which he won alongside Prabowo.

The court said no evidence was found to show that Gibran had a foreign diploma or certificate that could serve as the basis for equivalency with a senior high school qualification. The Supreme Court also took into account the Constitutional Court’s ruling, which said Gibran’s education documents did not meet election requirements.

Gibran had stated his intention to resign during a meeting with Prabowo on Tuesday, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

What Happens Next

Senior law minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the parliamentary upper house will have to convene a session to declare a vacancy following the submission of Gibran’s resignation letter, while writing a letter to the president requesting that he submit two names for his replacement. After that, the upper house would hold an election within 60 days.

Earlier on Wednesday, some 120 Indonesian lawmakers submitted a petition demanding Gibran’s impeachment, fuelling tensions around his political future. “Gibran no longer meets the requirements as vice president as stipulated in Indonesia’s constitution,” said Mardani Ali Sera, one of the lawmakers who signed the petition.

Gibran’s place on the 2024 ticket was previously marred by ethics complaints after the Constitutional Court, headed at the time by his uncle, removed an age limit that would have prevented his candidacy.

A Fracturing Alliance

The resignation comes amid growing signs of strain in the political alliance between Prabowo, a powerful former general, and Widodo, also known as Jokowi, a highly popular leader who twice defeated Prabowo for the presidency before throwing him his support after facing term limits. An open split could spark further instability for an administration already facing questions over its handling of the economy and scandals over flagship programmes such as its free school meals policy, political analysts say.

Last week, Prabowo fired his chief of staff, widely seen as a Jokowi loyalist, after he was arrested on accusations of bugging the president, among other figures. Three members of Prabowo’s cabinet also resigned from the party led by Kaesang Pangarep, Jokowi’s youngest son.

Sana Jaffrey, a researcher at the Australian National University, said the crisis showed how the political fortunes of a small number of elites took precedence over the country’s need for effective and stable governance. “Prolonged uncertainty at the highest levels of power will only deepen anxieties at home and abroad about where the country is headed,” she said.

Investor sentiment towards Indonesia has weakened this year amid heightened scrutiny of the government’s fiscal plans and lingering downgrade risks for its stock market by global index provider MSCI.

Read more: Gibran offered to resign in Tuesday meeting with President Prabowo