Indonesia’s vice-president ‘intends to resign’ after qualifications questioned

Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka told President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday that he intends to step down, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi confirmed after a two-and-a-half-hour meeting at the presidential residence. The 39-year-old son of former president Joko Widodo made the offer after the Supreme Court ruled on October 30 that the high-school equivalency certificate he used to register as a vice-presidential candidate in 2024 was invalid, and the Constitutional Court found no convincing evidence his overseas education met the minimum requirement. Prasetyo said Prabowo advised Gibran to continue pursuing legal avenues, including a civil review appeal at the Supreme Court and proceedings at the State Administrative Court, but stopped short of saying the president had accepted the resignation. Gibran later told reporters he views Prabowo "as a father" and appreciates his advice.

The resignation offer arrives as lawmakers prepare a motion of opinion under the MD3 Law — a formal parliamentary step that can trigger impeachment. The motion requires signatures from at least 25 of the 580 MPs across more than one faction, then a two-thirds vote in a plenary session with a two-thirds quorum. If passed, the case goes to the Constitutional Court, and any final removal decision by the People's Consultative Assembly needs a three-quarter quorum and two-thirds approval. Forms for the motion have been circulating since November 7, and parliament resumed hearings Monday after a month-long recess.

The diploma dispute has become a flashpoint in a widening rift between Prabowo and Widodo, whose tacit support helped Prabowo win the 2024 election by a landslide. Listyo Sigit Prabowo — a close Widodo ally recently reassigned as Prabowo's presidential chief of staff — was arrested in an alleged wiretapping scheme targeting the president and other prominent figures. Three other police generals were also implicated. Widodo himself faces unrelated allegations of using a fake university diploma, which he denies. Some lawmakers from Prabowo's own ruling coalition have joined the push to question Gibran's eligibility, signaling fractures within the government.

What happens next remains unresolved. Prabowo has not formally accepted or rejected the resignation, and Gibran has not submitted a written letter. The vice president's office has not responded to requests for comment. If Gibran stays, he faces a parliamentary inquiry that could lead to impeachment; if he goes, the constitution requires the president to nominate a replacement for parliamentary approval — a process that could further test the coalition. Meanwhile, the legal battle over his credentials continues in the State Administrative Court, where Gibran hopes to prove his documents are valid.