Indonesia’s vice president resigned Thursday, undone by a scandal over his high school diploma that has added to pressure on a government facing widespread dissatisfaction over the economy, graft and wildfires.
There had been repeated calls for Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 39, to step down following a Supreme Court ruling last month to annul his high school qualification, obtained abroad.
On Thursday, he submitted his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto and to parliament.
Prabowo told reporters he had accepted Gibran’s resignation “with a heavy heart” and praised him for acting “for a greater cause, for the interests of the nation, the state, and the people of Indonesia”.
“He certainly feels that he has pursued his education through an orderly process, but we all understand that the education system abroad is different from the education system in Indonesia,” the president said.
Indonesia’s vice president does not have many constitutionally defined powers apart from acting as the president’s representative at official events and taking over if his boss is incapacitated.
‘Political realignment’
Gibran’s downfall came after thousands of Indonesians took to the streets in recent weeks to protest economic hardship, graft, perceived authoritarianism and the government’s handling of months of devastating wildfires emitting toxic haze.
His exit is likely to complicate a loose governing alliance that includes the parties of Prabowo and of his predecessor Joko Widodo — Gibran’s father, who goes by Jokowi.
The resignation “marks a significant political realignment, but does not necessarily threaten government stability”, according to Khairul Fahmi, executive director of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) think tank.
“Jokowi will retain political influence, but Gibran’s departure could reduce his network’s direct access to power. For Prabowo, this creates greater room to consolidate his leadership and pursue his own political agenda,” Khairul told AFP.
Two years into his term, Prabowo’s popularity has reached record lows.
Last week, Indonesian authorities arrested the former national police chief and three senior police officials for allegedly tapping the president’s telephone.
On Thursday, police said they were investigating possible treason.
Prabowo’s rise to power was widely credited to support from the popular Jokowi, who served two terms from 2014 to 2024.
The choice of Gibran as running mate strengthened ties between Prabowo’s Gerindra party and figures aligned to Jokowi, until then a political rival who had defeated Prabowo twice in presidential elections.
Under the alliance, Gibran and other Jokowi allies were appointed to key positions in the government of Prabowo, who is seen as close to the military while the police has traditionally been loyal to Jokowi.
Youngest-ever VP
Gibran became the youngest person ever to hold Indonesia’s vice presidency.
Then, two years into his term, detractors went to court to challenge his high school certificate — a prerequisite for the job.
Gibran had completed his schooling in Singapore before going on to study for a marketing degree there.
When submitting his candidacy to the General Elections Commission (KPU) in 2024, he filed a certificate stating his overseas education was equivalent to a vocational high school in Indonesia.
Last month, however, Indonesia’s Supreme Court ruled to invalidate the document, prompting moves in parliament to unseat him.
Gibran has consistently defended his credentials.
“If I didn’t graduate from high school, then I obviously wouldn’t have been able to go to college. I studied up to a bachelor’s degree in Singapore,” he has said.
Prabowo now has 14 days to submit two names from which parliament will have two months to pick Gibran’s replacement.
Researcher Arya Fernandes of Indonesia’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told AFP Prabowo will likely seek “a candidate who is acceptable to all coalition members to avoid triggering divisions within the coalition” that includes Jokowi’s party.
“The vice-presidential candidate nominated by Prabowo could potentially become his running mate in 2029, or emerge as a political competitor. He will therefore carefully weigh the pros and cons of each potential nominee,” he said.
AFP
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