Indonesia's vice-president Gibran resigns after questions over his degree

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday accepted Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's resignation with a "heavy heart", confirming the departure of his 39-year-old deputy amid a controversy over his educational qualifications. Prabowo made the announcement at a press conference alongside Gibran at the Presidential Palace.

Gibran submitted his resignation to both the president and parliament on Thursday, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Ahmad Muzani told reporters. Muzani said Gibran met parliamentary leaders to hand over his resignation letter and informed them that he had also submitted the same letter to Prabowo.

The resignation follows months of questions over whether Gibran's educational qualifications met the legal requirements for holding the vice-presidential office. The controversy intensified after Indonesia's Supreme Court last month annulled his high school qualification obtained abroad. The court also found no evidence establishing that he had graduated from senior high school.

Why Indonesia's vice-president Gibran faced questions over his education

Indonesian law requires candidates for the vice-presidency to have completed senior secondary education or an equivalent qualification. Gibran, who studied in Singapore and Australia, had relied on an Indonesian equivalence certificate to establish that he met the educational requirement.

He had previously argued that his university education was sufficient evidence that he had completed senior high school. However, the Supreme Court's findings raised questions over the documents he had submitted to establish his eligibility.

Gibran's qualifications had become a major political issue, prompting repeated calls for him to step down. On Wednesday, 120 lawmakers representing eight political parties submitted a petition to the House leadership seeking action against him.

His eligibility had also been disputed before the 2024 presidential election. He was 36 when he joined Prabowo's election ticket, below the minimum candidate age of 40. His candidacy became possible after a controversial Constitutional Court ruling created an exception to the age requirement.

What happens after Gibran's resignation?

Gibran's resignation and its acceptance by Prabowo mark a major development in the controversy, but the parliamentary process will determine the formal transition and the selection of a successor.

Under the procedure outlined for examining the allegations, the MPR leadership must establish a special committee to consider whether Gibran violated the Constitution by serving as vice-president despite allegedly failing to meet the eligibility criteria.

If lawmakers find sufficient grounds for the allegations, the House must refer the matter to the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether a constitutional violation occurred. Parliament will also have to address the formal approval of the resignation and the appointment of a replacement.

The Indonesian vice-president has limited constitutionally defined powers, primarily representing the president at official events and taking over the presidency if the incumbent is incapacitated.

How Gibran became Prabowo's running mate in Indonesia's 2024 election

Gibran's entry into the 2024 presidential race followed a political alliance between his father, former president Joko Widodo, and Prabowo, who had previously been his political rival.

The Constitutional Court's decision to exempt Gibran from the minimum age requirement of 40 cleared the way for him to contest the election at 36 as Prabowo's running mate. The ruling attracted controversy because it enabled the former president's son to enter the race despite being below the prescribed age limit.

His educational qualifications subsequently became another major point of contention, with court findings and impeachment demands putting his position under pressure before Prabowo accepted his resignation.