Indonesia's vice president resigns as his eligibility and academic credentials questioned

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov 12, (AP): Indonesia’s vice president resigned Thursday as questions grew over his eligibility for the office after recent court rulings disputed his educational credentials. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 39-year-old son of former President Joko Widodo, submitted his resignation to the leadership of the People’s Consultative Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, at the parliament building in the capital, Jakarta.

Raka did not comment as he left the meeting. "There will always be political dynamics in public office, that’s normal,” his father, Widodo, told reporters from his hometown in Solo, adding that he had reminded his son that political positions are temporary. "We will continue to support President Prabowo’s government, especially programs that serve the interests of the broader public,” he said.

The academic credentials investigation was apparently not related to investigations into allegations that top police officials had been involved in wiretapping targeting the president. Under Indonesia’s Constitution, a vice presidential vacancy does not trigger a new election. The office remains vacant until the People’s Consultative Assembly elects a replacement from two candidates nominated by the president within 60 days.

Raka had offered to resign Tuesday during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto, saying he wanted to avoid a prolonged political controversy. But a Cabinet minister said the president urged Raka at the time to defend himself and it wasn’t clear if he accepted the resignation offer. The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court ruled last month that the documents Raka submitted regarding his overseas education didn’t meet election requirements.

A subsequent petition, submitted Wednesday to the House leadership by 120 lawmakers from eight political parties, began a parliamentary process that could have led to his impeachment. The push for his impeachment was driven largely by long-running allegations that Gibran’s candidacy was enabled by a Constitutional Court ruling that critics see as a conflict of interest and evidence of weak political accountability and dynastic privilege.

Before Prabowo chose him as his running mate for the 2024 election, Raka did not meet the age requirement of 40 for vice presidential candidates. But the court's controversial ruling in October 2023 carved an exception allowing those who served or had been elected as regional leaders to run at a younger age. Under Indonesian election law, a presidential or vice-presidential candidate must have completed senior high school or an equivalent level of education.

Because Gibran completed his secondary education overseas, he was required to provide documents showing that his qualifications were equivalent to an Indonesian high school diploma. Raka was the first Indonesian vice president to resign before the end of a term since the fall of dictator Suharto and the start of the country's democratic reforms in 1998.