The Indonesian vice president resigned after at least 120 lawmakers backed a proposal that could have led to his impeachment.
The son of former Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, on Nov. 12 handed his resignation to the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), the body that will choose his successor. Gibran’s departure followed court rulings that reignited questions over his qualifications to hold office.
The scrutiny centered on a certificate recognizing his overseas education that he submitted to satisfy eligibility requirements when he ran with President Prabowo Subianto in the 2024 election.
Prabowo accepted Gibran’s resignation on Nov. 12, thanking Gibran for his work in regions across Indonesia and calling his decision to resign “chivalrous.”
After Prabowo’s remarks at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Gibran bowed, embraced him, and left without speaking publicly.
Speaking to reporters outside his home in Solo, Central Java Province, Widodo said he would continue to support Prabowo’s administration, particularly programs that benefit the broader public.
Court Rulings
Gibran’s resignation followed two recent court rulings that renewed scrutiny of documents he used to qualify for the 2024 presidential election.
In a ruling published on its website on Oct. 30, Indonesia’s Supreme Court invalidated a certificate recognizing his overseas education as equivalent to an Indonesian high school qualification. The certificate had been issued by the education ministry and was included in his election registration documents.
Earlier, on Oct. 6, the Constitutional Court said it found no convincing evidence that Gibran held a foreign diploma or certificate proving he had completed the equivalent of senior high school.
However, it ruled it could not remove him from office because he was already serving as vice president.
Indonesia’s House of Representatives was due to meet on the afternoon of Nov. 12 to discuss a proposal that could have led to Gibran’s impeachment, but the meeting was canceled after he resigned, according to a Nov. 12 report by state-run news agency Antara.
The proposal had been submitted one day earlier and was backed by at least 120 lawmakers, who argued that Gibran no longer fulfilled the qualifications to serve as vice president.
Muhammad Khozin, a member of the House’s Commission II and one of the lawmakers behind the impeachment proposal, said he respected Gibran’s decision.
In an Instagram post, Khozin said he appreciated Gibran’s political stance, calling it part of the democratic process and saying it should be approached with maturity, openness, and a focus on the national interest.
In a video accompanying the post, Khozin urged Indonesians to move beyond the controversy over Gibran’s diploma, saying there should no longer be room for polarization among ordinary Indonesians. He said the episode produced no winners or losers and should serve as a historical lesson that he hoped would never be repeated.
Succession Underway
Following receipt of Gibran’s resignation letter, the MPR convened a leadership meeting to discuss the next constitutional steps.
In the same video, Khozin said he was confident the process would continue under existing mechanisms and that the MPR leadership would soon announce a schedule for the assembly’s session, after which the process would follow established procedures.
MPR Speaker Ahmad Muzani told reporters on Nov. 12 that under the constitution, the MPR had no more than 60 days from the date of the resignation to appoint a permanent vice president.
He asked Indonesians for their prayers and support so the democratic process would proceed smoothly and set a positive constitutional precedent.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, is a U.S. strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific. In April, U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership intended to strengthen bilateral defense ties and promote regional stability.
Reuters contributed to this report.
