Indonesia’s Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has resigned from office following mounting controversy over his eligibility and questions surrounding his educational qualifications.
The 39-year-old, who is the son of former President Joko Widodo, submitted his resignation on Thursday to the leadership of the People’s Consultative Assembly at the parliament building in Jakarta.
Raka made no public statement as he left the meeting.
His resignation comes after recent court rulings raised concerns about documents he submitted to establish the equivalence of his overseas educational qualifications with Indonesia’s secondary school requirements.
Former President Widodo, reacting to the development in his hometown of Solo, described political controversies as a normal part of public service.
“There will always be political dynamics in public office, that’s normal,” he said, adding that he had reminded his son that political positions were temporary.
Widodo also reaffirmed his support for the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, particularly programmes aimed at serving the wider public.
Raka had reportedly offered to resign during a meeting with Prabowo on Tuesday, explaining that he wanted to prevent the controversy from developing into a prolonged political crisis.
However, a Cabinet minister disclosed that the president had encouraged him to defend himself, leaving uncertainty over whether the resignation offer had initially been accepted.
The controversy intensified after the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court ruled last month that documents submitted by Raka to establish his overseas educational qualifications did not satisfy the requirements for election eligibility.
The development was followed by a petition submitted to parliamentary leaders on Wednesday by 120 lawmakers representing eight political parties, setting in motion a legislative process that could have resulted in his impeachment.
The campaign against Raka’s eligibility has been linked to longstanding criticism of the controversial Constitutional Court ruling that allowed him to contest the 2024 presidential election despite being below the minimum age requirement.
Under Indonesian election rules, presidential and vice-presidential candidates must be at least 40 years old. However, a Constitutional Court decision in October 2023 created an exception for individuals who had served or been elected as regional leaders.
The ruling enabled Raka, who was younger than 40 at the time, to become Prabowo’s running mate.
Critics have questioned the circumstances surrounding the judgment, describing it as a possible conflict of interest and an example of political favouritism and dynastic influence.
Indonesian election law also requires presidential and vice-presidential candidates to have completed senior high school education or an equivalent qualification.
Since Raka completed his secondary education overseas, he was required to provide documentation establishing that his qualifications met the country’s educational standards.
His resignation marks the first time an Indonesian vice president has stepped down before completing his tenure since the fall of former dictator Suharto in 1998, which ushered in the country’s democratic reform period.
Under Indonesia’s Constitution, the resignation does not automatically trigger a fresh national election. Instead, the vice-presidential position will remain vacant until the People’s Consultative Assembly elects a replacement from two candidates nominated by the president within 60 days.
Parliamentary Speaker Ahmad Muzani said legislative leaders would begin the process of selecting a successor.
“We ask for the prayers and support of all Indonesians so that this democratic process can proceed smoothly and serve as a constructive new precedent in our constitutional system,” Muzani said.
