Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka resigned on Thursday, handing his resignation letter to the upper house of parliament after weeks of mounting questions over whether his education credentials qualified him for the office.
Gibran, 39, the eldest son of former President Joko Widodo, submitted the letter to the leadership of the People’s Consultative Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, at the parliament building in Jakarta. Ahmad Muzani, the assembly’s speaker, confirmed the resignation and said Gibran had also submitted a letter to President Prabowo Subianto. Parliamentary leaders will now convene to discuss the next steps.
The meeting lasted about 20 minutes. Gibran left the parliamentary complex without making a public statement. It was not immediately clear whether Prabowo has formally accepted the resignation.
Gibran was elected alongside Prabowo in the 2024 election, after a court ruling changed the eligibility rules in a way that allowed him to stand. His father was accused at the time of using his influence over the court to clear the way for his son.
The pressure on Gibran intensified last month, when the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court ruled that the documents he submitted about his overseas education did not meet election requirements. The Supreme Court instructed the education ministry to withdraw the education equivalence certificate Gibran had used to register as a candidate, a certificate the court has annulled.
Lawmakers had already begun moving against him. About 120 members of parliament from all eight party factions proposed a formal inquiry, a first step towards impeachment, and a plenary session on the motion had been scheduled for Thursday. It was cancelled after Gibran resigned.
Under Indonesia’s Constitution, a vacancy in the vice presidency does not trigger a new election. The office remains vacant until the People’s Consultative Assembly elects a replacement from two candidates nominated by the president, within 60 days.
The resignation comes amid a deepening rift between Prabowo and Widodo, which political analysts say could further destabilise a government already beset by scandals surrounding some of its signature programmes and doubts over its handling of the economy. Investor sentiment in Southeast Asia’s largest economy has weakened, with downgrade risks for its stock market still lingering.
Widodo, speaking to reporters outside his home in Solo, in Central Java, said he continued to support Prabowo’s administration, “especially programmes that serve the interests of the broader public”.
Sources: Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-vp-gibran-hands-his-resignation-upper-house-2026-11-12/) and Associated Press (https://www.kcau9.com/news/international/ap-indonesias-vice-president-resigns-after-academic-credentials-questioned/)
