Vice-president Gibran Rakabuming Raka has stepped down following a constitutional court determination that he possessed no convincing evidence of having earned a high school diploma, certificate, or degree. The 39-year-old leader had faced months of scrutiny regarding his educational credentials, with the court ruling occurring last month in response to a petition seeking his removal. Although Indonesian law mandates a high school certificate as a prerequisite for running for office, the court stated it could not invalidate the 2024 election results that saw him elected alongside President Prabowo Subianto.
Gibran attended secondary school in Singapore and later studied at institutions in Australia before obtaining a bachelor’s degree through the Management Development Institute of Singapore. Despite these educational experiences, mounting criticism intensified this week when parliament pursued impeachment proceedings. Following a meeting with President Prabowo on Tuesday, Gibran offered his resignation, which was formalized by Wednesday evening.
Gibran’s background extends beyond education controversies. The eldest son of former president Joko Widodo—widely known as Jokowi—initially pursued business ventures in the food sector before entering politics as mayor of Solo in 2019. A constitutional court exception created before registration deadlines allowed him to run for vice-president despite initially falling below the age requirement, a decision later scrutinized when the chief justice hearing the case was found to have a conflict of interest.
The resignation reflects deteriorating relations between Prabowo and his predecessor Jokowi. The alliance between the two leaders, forged when Jokowi maneuvered his son onto Prabowo’s ticket as a means of sustaining influence after stepping down, has grown increasingly strained. Analysts attributed Prabowo’s 2024 electoral success partly to the “Jokowi effect,” but the coalition remained tenuous from the outset. Recent allegations involving wiretapping of the president’s phone by a Jokowi loyalist have intensified the split.
Moving forward, the People’s Consultative Assembly will select a new vice-president from candidates nominated by Prabowo within 60 days. The situation enables Prabowo to remove Jokowi allies from his administration and consolidate power, though risks accompany this consolidation. Presidential approval ratings have declined significantly to 44.5% in October from 81.2% in November of the previous year, amid street protests and economic challenges, potentially destabilizing coalition partnerships ahead of the 2029 election.
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