Indonesia’s vice president submits resignation as ruling alliance strains

Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has submitted his resignation, an aide told the BBC, deepening uncertainty around the political alliance that helped President Prabowo Subianto win office. It was not immediately clear whether Prabowo had formally accepted his departure, leaving the status of the vice presidency unresolved.

The announcement follows a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a high-school equivalency certificate used for Gibran’s candidacy in the 2024 election. The dispute over his educational qualifications has increased pressure on the vice president and prompted lawmakers to pursue a parliamentary initiative that could lead to impeachment proceedings.

Gibran is the eldest son of former President Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi. Widodo backed his former rival Prabowo in the 2024 presidential election, with his son’s place on the ticket providing a direct political connection between the outgoing leader and his successor.

That relationship is now under growing strain. The BBC reported that Prabowo and Widodo have drifted apart since the election, making Gibran’s resignation significant not only for his own position but also for the durability of the partnership underpinning the administration.

The resignation followed talks between Gibran and Prabowo on Tuesday, November 10. State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi said Gibran had expressed his intention to step down during the meeting, according to reporting by Indonesia’s state news agency, ANTARA.

Budi Arie Setiadi, chairman of the pro-Widodo volunteer organization Projo, subsequently confirmed the resignation on Wednesday. His confirmation reinforced reports that Gibran had moved beyond discussing a possible departure, although it did not resolve the separate question of whether the president had formally accepted it.

Parliamentary pressure has continued alongside those developments. More than 100 lawmakers supported an initiative to exercise the legislature’s right to express an opinion, a mechanism that could open a route toward impeachment rather than itself constituting a decision to remove the vice president.

ANTARA reported that Deputy House Speaker Saan Mustopa said the proposal would be brought to a plenary session scheduled for Thursday, November 12. That timetable places the parliamentary initiative alongside the resignation process, with both contributing to uncertainty over how Gibran’s position will be resolved.

The distinction between submitting a resignation and completing a departure remains central to the story. While an aide has confirmed Gibran’s decision, the available reporting does not establish that all formal steps have been completed, and the parliamentary effort represents a separate source of political pressure.

Attention now turns to confirmation of Gibran’s formal status and the legislature’s handling of the proposed proceedings. Those developments will help clarify the immediate leadership question, while the broader relationship between Prabowo and Widodo remains a test for the alliance that brought them together in 2024.