Indonesia’s vice president resigns after courts question his academic credentials

Gibran Rakabuming Raka submitted his resignation as Indonesia’s vice president to the People’s Consultative Assembly on Thursday, after two courts questioned the academic documents he used to stand in the 2024 election. President Prabowo Subianto accepted the resignation, according to The Associated Press.

The departure of former President Joko Widodo’s son starts the process of choosing a new vice president in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Gibran, 39, had announced his intention to step down on Tuesday, saying he wanted to avoid a prolonged political controversy.

Resignation delivered to the assembly

Gibran personally handed his letter to assembly leaders in Jakarta. Indonesian news agency Antara reported that he went to the parliamentary complex on Thursday and did not answer reporters’ questions when he arrived or left the meeting.

The House of Representatives later canceled a plenary session that had been scheduled to consider a motion that could have led to impeachment proceedings. On Wednesday, 120 lawmakers had signed the proposal, arguing that the vice president no longer met the requirements for office.

In a televised address, Prabowo said he accepted the resignation with regret and thanked Gibran for his work during the election campaign and two years in government. Prabowo remains president.

The education dispute

Indonesian election law requires presidential and vice-presidential candidates to have completed senior high school or an equivalent level of education. Because Gibran completed part of his secondary education abroad, he had to provide evidence that his qualifications were equivalent.

The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court issued rulings last month questioning whether the documents submitted met the election requirements, AP reported. The dispute concerns the certification required for his candidacy and the qualifications for office.

His candidacy had also drawn criticism before the election. In 2023, a Constitutional Court ruling created an exception to the minimum age of 40 for people who had held or been elected to regional office. Gibran, a former mayor of Surakarta, was able to run before turning 40. Critics questioned the court ruling and accused the political establishment of favoring a family dynasty.

Gibran and Prabowo were elected in 2024. Widodo, known as Jokowi, was president before Prabowo took office. After his son’s resignation, Widodo told reporters that he would continue to support the government, particularly programs serving the public.

What happens next

Indonesia’s Constitution provides that, when the vice presidency is vacant, the People’s Consultative Assembly chooses a replacement from two candidates nominated by the president. The selection must take place within 60 days; the resignation does not automatically trigger a new presidential election.

The political upheaval comes as Indonesian authorities separately investigate alleged illegal wiretapping that targeted the president and other public figures. AP reported that the investigation into academic credentials was apparently unrelated to the wiretapping case.