Gibran Rakabuming Raka Resignation became official after Indonesia’s vice president stepped down on Wednesday, November 11, amid mounting controversy surrounding his qualifications to hold the country’s second-highest office.
Gibran, the eldest son of former Indonesian President Joko Widodo, submitted his resignation after facing growing legal and political pressure over his eligibility to serve as vice president.
The resignation followed recent rulings by Indonesia’s Constitutional Court and Supreme Court, which found that documents submitted by Gibran regarding his overseas education did not satisfy election requirements.
Questions regarding Gibran’s qualifications intensified after the courts determined that he failed to provide sufficient evidence that his educational background met the minimum requirements required for candidates seeking national office.
Gibran had earlier offered to resign during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto, saying he wanted to prevent the issue from developing into a prolonged political controversy.
The former vice president was elected alongside Prabowo during Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election, where the pair secured a landslide victory after receiving nearly 59 percent of the nationwide vote.
His candidacy had already attracted public scrutiny during the 2024 campaign because he became the youngest vice-presidential candidate in Indonesian history after receiving legal clearance to run despite being under the standard minimum age requirement of 40 years old.
Web reports indicate that more than 100 lawmakers had backed efforts that could have led to impeachment proceedings, increasing pressure on Gibran to step down before parliament formally acted on the issue.
Political analysts said the resignation could deepen tensions between President Prabowo and former president Joko Widodo, whose political alliance was instrumental in securing victory during the 2024 elections.
Indonesia’s parliament is expected to oversee the process of accepting Gibran’s resignation and selecting a successor in accordance with the country’s constitutional procedures.
The Gibran Rakabuming Raka Resignation marks a dramatic development in Indonesian politics and raises new questions about the future of the ruling coalition in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.