Indonesia’s Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has reportedly resigned, triggering fresh political uncertainty in Southeast Asia’s largest economy and threatening to fracture the alliance between President Prabowo Subianto and former president Joko Widodo.
An aide, Budi Arie Setiadi, told Reuters that Gibran had submitted his resignation to Prabowo on Wednesday morning.
Two sources from Indonesia’s upper parliamentary house also said Gibran was expected to submit his resignation letter to the chamber on Thursday morning.
Neither Gibran’s office nor Prabowo’s office immediately responded to requests for comment.
The 39-year-old is the eldest son of former president Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, and has faced mounting pressure from lawmakers following recent court rulings questioning whether his educational qualifications met the requirements to contest the 2024 presidential election.
According to reports, Gibran had indicated his intention to resign during a meeting with Prabowo on Tuesday.
His departure could deepen tensions between Prabowo and Jokowi, who previously contested the presidency against each other twice before the former general secured Jokowi’s backing after the latter reached his constitutional term limit.
The political relationship between the two influential figures has shown signs of strain in recent months.
Analysts warned that an open split could create further instability for Prabowo’s administration, which has already faced criticism over controversies surrounding its flagship free school meals programme and concerns about its economic management.
Investor confidence in Indonesia has also weakened this year amid questions over government spending plans, policy direction and the possibility of a downgrade by global index provider MSCI.
Last week, Prabowo dismissed his chief of staff, who was widely regarded as a Jokowi ally, after the official was arrested over allegations including the bugging of the president and other individuals.
Meanwhile, around 120 Indonesian lawmakers from across the political spectrum submitted a petition demanding Gibran’s impeachment on Wednesday, adding to the pressure surrounding his political future.
“He no longer meets the requirements as vice-president as stipulated in Indonesia’s constitution,” said Mardani Ali Sera, one of the lawmakers who signed the petition.
The parliamentary upper house is responsible for overseeing the resignation process and selecting a replacement.
Senior Law Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the chamber would need to convene a session to formally declare the vice-presidential position vacant after receiving Gibran’s resignation letter.
It would then write to Prabowo requesting two names for consideration as a replacement, before holding an election within 60 days.
The controversy centres on Gibran’s educational qualifications, which have come under scrutiny following decisions by Indonesia’s Constitutional Court and Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court instructed the Education Ministry to withdraw Gibran’s education equivalency certificate after annulling the document.
Gibran had relied on the certificate to satisfy the educational requirements for the 2024 presidential election, which he won alongside Prabowo.
Indonesian election law requires vice-presidential candidates to have completed senior high school or an equivalent qualification.
However, the Supreme Court found that the certificate had been issued based on evidence that did not establish that Gibran had graduated from an equivalent level of education overseas.
“No evidence was found to show Gibran had a foreign diploma or certificate that could serve as the basis for equivalency with a senior high school or equivalent qualification,” the court said.
The Supreme Court also considered an earlier Constitutional Court ruling that found Gibran’s education documents did not meet election requirements.
His eligibility had already attracted controversy ahead of the 2024 election after the Constitutional Court, which was then headed by his uncle, removed an age restriction that would otherwise have prevented him from joining the presidential ticket.
Sana Jaffrey, a researcher at the Australian National University, said the latest crisis highlighted how political interests among a small group of powerful figures could take priority over effective governance.
“Prolonged uncertainty at the highest levels of power will only deepen anxieties at home and abroad about where the country is headed,” she said.
