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Indonesian Vice President Gibrang resigned due to disputes over his educational qualifications, and courts have consistently questioned his eligibility to run for office. This incident could not only shake the political alliance between Prabowo and Joko Widodo, but also add further uncertainty to Indonesia’s political situation.
Indonesia Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of former President Joko Widodo, formally submitted his resignation on the 12th due to a dispute over educational qualifications caused by a court decision. This could split the key political coalition between Presidents Prabowo Subianto and Joko Widodo and increase political uncertainty in Indonesia.
Reuters reported that Indonesian election law states that vice presidential candidates must have completed high school or equivalent education. Gibran, who studied abroad, meets the requirements to run in the 2024 election with proof of equivalent educational qualifications. The Constitutional Court, headed by Guibran’s uncle, removed the age limit that prevented him from running. Ultimately Gibran was selected along with Prabowo.
Complaints have previously been raised over whether Gibran’s academic qualifications met legal requirements. The Constitutional Court reported in October that it did not find sufficient foreign educational documents to prove that Gibran had completed high school, but it did not accept the claim because the claimant did not have the capacity to litigate. The Supreme Court also took into account the Constitutional Court’s decision and stated in the decision: “No evidence was found to show that Gibran has any foreign diploma or certificate that could be used as a basis to determine whether he has a high school or equivalent education.”
On October 30, the Supreme Court declared Gibran’s educational equivalency certificate invalid and asked the competent authorities to cancel the certificate. About 120 Indonesian lawmakers from eight political parties filed a motion on the 11th to impeach Gibrang. When Gibran met with Prabowo early on the 10th, he expressed his resignation. Gibran resigned from Prabowo on the 11th, his aide Budi Ari Setiyadi told Reuters. On the 12th, Gibrang submitted his resignation to the leadership of the People’s Consultative Assembly, Indonesia’s highest legislative body, at the Parliament Building in the capital Jakarta, the Associated Press reported.
Prabowo is a powerful retired general, while Joko Widodo is a popular former president who defeated Prabowo twice in presidential elections. Later, he was unable to run again due to term limits and began supporting Prabowo. However, key programs such as the Prabowo government’s free school meals policy have been mired in scandal, and its ability to deal with economic problems has been questioned.
Guibran’s resignation comes after recent allegations of illegal surveillance have been raised against Prabowo. Several senior officials have been accused of involvement in the case, including former presidential chief of staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who is considered a close confidant of Jokowi. Ristio was arrested and fired by Prabowo last week. The Associated Press quoted analysts as saying that the surveillance case has deepened the rift between Prabowo and Jokowi. Other political analysts believe that if the two parties publicly split, it could further destabilize Prabowo’s government.
Summary FAQ
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The Supreme Court ruled that his certificate of educational equivalency was invalid, and the court did not find sufficient documentation to prove that he had a high school diploma or equivalent. When the controversy escalated and the impeachment motion came in the Congress, he decided to resign.
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Both the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court reported that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Gibran had completed a foreign degree equivalent to a high school education, and found no foreign diploma or certificate that could be used to determine that he had equivalent qualifications.
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This could weaken the fundamentally important political cooperation between Prabowo and Joko Widodo, and put Prabowo’s government at greater risk of instability amid the free food policy scandal, surveillance matters and economic doubts.
