Gibran Rakabuming Raka Submits Resignation to Prabowo
Indonesia’s Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka submitted a resignation letter directly to President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday, aide Budi Arie said. It remains unclear whether Prabowo has accepted it. The move follows court rulings over Gibran’s education records and a parliamentary initiative backed by lawmakers that could lead to impeachment proceedings.
Indonesia’s Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka submitted his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday, aide Budi Arie said, as lawmakers backed an initiative that could lead to impeachment proceedings.
It remains unclear whether Prabowo has accepted the letter, which Budi Arie said Gibran delivered directly to the president.
The resignation bid follows court rulings that found insufficient evidence to establish that Gibran’s foreign education met the requirements to run for office. More than 100 lawmakers have backed a parliamentary proposal related to the dispute.
Gibran’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He has not publicly confirmed his intention to resign.
Indonesia’s Supreme Court ruled that a high-school document used during Gibran’s 2024 election campaign was invalid. The court said, “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.”
Indonesian law requires vice-presidents to have completed senior secondary school or its equivalent. Gibran studied in Singapore and Australia and used an Indonesian equivalency certificate to demonstrate his educational credentials.
On Tuesday, Gibran asked for a chance to challenge the ruling and prove his credentials, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said. Gibran also told reporters that Prabowo had advised him to continue fighting his case, including by seeking a judicial review.
Parliament convened on Tuesday after a month-long recess. On Wednesday, 120 lawmakers from eight factions signed a proposal to exercise the House of Representatives’ right to express an opinion, a mechanism that could potentially lead to impeachment proceedings.
Two sources at the parliamentary upper house said Gibran was expected to submit his resignation letter there on Thursday morning. The upper house will oversee approval of a resignation and the selection of a replacement.
Gibran joined Prabowo’s presidential ticket in the 2024 election through an alliance involving his father, former President Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi. Jokowi’s support helped secure the ticket’s victory.
The resignation comes amid a widening rift between Jokowi and Prabowo. Prabowo has shifted several Jokowi allies into new roles, while tensions have also grown around government priorities and political loyalties.
Prasetyo Hadi said Gibran met Prabowo for two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday morning and expressed an intention to resign amid pressure over his education records.
