Indonesian Vice President Gibran Resigns Following Court Rulings and Parliament Pressure

JAKARTA — Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has resigned from office following mounting parliamentary pressure and court rulings regarding his overseas education credentials.

According to the speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly, Gibran submitted his formal resignation to President Prabowo Subianto and parliament on Thursday. The 39-year-old, who is the eldest son of former President Joko Widodo, stepped down after serving two years of his five-year term.

The departure follows rulings last month by both the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court determining that documents submitted by Gibran concerning his overseas education failed to meet election requirements. Critics have accused Gibran of never receiving a high school diploma, fueling weeks of political friction.

The political crisis intensified on Wednesday when 120 lawmakers from eight political parties submitted a petition to House of Representatives leaders to initiate parliamentary proceedings that could lead to impeachment. Gibran offered to resign on Tuesday during a meeting with President Prabowo, stating that he wanted to avoid a prolonged political controversy. A cabinet minister noted that Prabowo had urged Gibran to defend himself during the meeting, leaving the immediate acceptance of the resignation offer initially unclear.

Under Indonesia’s Constitution, a vice-presidential vacancy does not trigger a special election. Instead, the office will remain vacant until the People’s Consultative Assembly elects a replacement from two candidates nominated by the president within 60 days. Under Indonesian law, House leaders are also required to establish a special committee to examine whether Gibran violated the constitution by serving despite the credential disputes.

The political upheaval occurs against a backdrop of wider public unrest in Indonesia. In recent weeks, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets to voice grievances over economic hardship, corruption, perceived authoritarianism, and the government’s handling of wildfires that emitted toxic haze. Meanwhile, separate investigations are underway into allegations that top police officials were involved in wiretapping targeting the president.