Indonesia’s vice president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has resigned amid a scandal over his high school diploma, according to the head of parliament. The speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly told reporters that Gibran submitted his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto and parliament on Thursday. The move adds to pressure on a government already facing wide public anger over the economy, corruption and wildfires.
Gibran, 39, is the eldest son of former president Joko Widodo, who was Prabowo’s immediate predecessor. He had served two years of a five-year term when he left office, as doubts grew about whether he was eligible for the post.
Court rulings and a petition over credentials
The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court ruled last month that documents Gibran submitted about his overseas education did not meet election requirements. His critics have accused him of never receiving a high school diploma. A petition filed on Wednesday with House leaders by 120 lawmakers from eight political parties started a parliamentary process that could lead to his impeachment.
Gibran had offered to resign on Tuesday during a meeting with the president, saying he wanted to avoid a drawn-out political fight. A cabinet minister, however, said Prabowo urged him at the time to defend himself, and it was unclear whether the president had accepted the offer.
How the vacancy would be filled under the constitution
Under the constitution, a vacancy in the vice presidency does not trigger a new election. The post stays empty until the People’s Consultative Assembly chooses a successor from two candidates nominated by the president, a step that must happen within 60 days. The vice president has few defined powers beyond representing the president at official events and taking over if the president is incapacitated.
Separately, House leaders must form a special committee to examine whether Gibran violated the constitution by serving despite allegedly failing to meet election requirements. If lawmakers find sufficient grounds, the House must ask the Constitutional Court to rule on whether a violation has occurred.
Protests and a wiretapping probe form the backdrop
The resignation comes as thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in recent weeks over economic hardship, corruption, perceived authoritarianism and the government’s handling of months of wildfires. The fires have produced a toxic haze that has made thousands of people ill.
The episode also coincides with investigations into allegations that top police officials were involved in wiretapping targeting the president. The academic credentials investigation, however, was apparently not related to the wiretapping scandal.
