Indonesia’s VP Gibran, son of ex-president Jokowi, resigns: Reports

Indonesia's Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka resigned, according to Reuters and Bloomberg.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has accepted his resignation, Bloomberg reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Gibran had earlier expressed his intention to resign during a meeting with Prabowo on Nov. 10.

This was shared during a press conference by Indonesian State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who said the decision was in response to developments surrounding recent court rulings, The Jakarta Post reported.

On Oct. 30, the Indonesian Supreme Court invalidated the high-school equivalency certificate submitted by Gibran to register for the 2024 presidential election.

The ruling intensified calls for Gibran to step down.

A day ago, Prasetyo denied reports that Prabowo had rejected Gibran's intention to step down.

Instead, Prabowo offered advice during their meeting, he said.

Gibran also "requested an opportunity to prove the validity" of his educational certificates through the State Administrative Court.

Who is Gibran and why was his candidacy controversial?

Gibran, 39, is the eldest son of Joko Widodo (also known as Jokowi), who served as Indonesia's president from 2014 to 2024.

Before becoming vice-president, Gibran served as mayor of Surakarta, also known as Solo, in Central Java.

He was 36 when he was selected as Prabowo's running mate for the 2024 presidential election.

At the time, Indonesia required presidential and vice-presidential candidates to be at least 40 years old.

However, on Oct. 16, 2023, the Constitutional Court introduced an exception allowing candidates under 40 to run if they had previously held or were holding elected public office.

As Gibran was then the elected mayor of Surakarta, the ruling made him eligible to contest the election.

The decision attracted controversy because the court's then-chief justice, Anwar Usman, was Gibran's uncle and Jokowi's brother-in-law.

Anwar participated in the ruling, which was decided by a 5–4 majority.

He was later removed as chief justice in November 2023 after the Constitutional Court's ethics council found him guilty of serious ethical violations over his involvement in the ruling.

Why are his educational qualifications questioned?

As early as 2023, when Gibran was still campaigning for vice president, his educational qualifications had been under scrutiny.

According to the elections records, he attended Orchid Park Secondary School in Singapore from 2002 to 2004, then continued his studies at UTS Insearch, a college affiliated with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia.

He later received an advanced diploma at the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) as a full-time student, which the school confirmed in October 2025.

Through a partnership between MDIS and the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom, he obtained a a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Marketing from the University.

The controversy around Gibran's education started when an online commentator questioned Gibran’s degree, questioning how he had attained a British degree while studying in Singapore.

The dispute later grew to focus on whether he completed senior high school or an equivalent level, which is legally a requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates in Indonesia.

In September 2026, a petition was filed urging ​the court arguing that Gibran's ⁠overseas education credentials did not satisfy Indonesian eligibility requirements for the vice presidency, and thus his position should be annulled.

What did the courts decide?

Two separate court rulings in October 2026 raised further questions about Gibran's eligibility to serve as vice-president.

Constitutional Court ruling on Oct. 6, 2026

On Oct. 6, 2026, Indonesia's Constitutional Court said it "did not find convincing evidence" that Gibran had a foreign certificate proving he had completed senior high school or an equivalent qualification.

However, the court dismissed the petition seeking to remove him from office, finding that the petitioners lacked legal standing.

It also explained that the case could no longer be treated as a dispute over the 2024 presidential election results, as Gibran had already been sworn in as vice-president.

Supreme Court ruling on Oct. 30, 2026

Gibran has repeatedly defended his educational qualifications.

"If I hadn't graduated from high school, how could I have gone to university? I even completed my Bachelor's degree in Singapore," he said on Oct. 7, 2026, a day after the Constitutional Court's decision.

In a separate case, the Jakarta State Administrative Court rejected a lawsuit challenging Gibran's high-school equivalency certificate on May 21, 2026. Its decision was upheld by the Jakarta State Administrative High Court on Aug. 12, 2026.

However, on Oct. 30, 2026, Indonesia's Supreme Court overturned both decisions and declared the certificate invalid.

Gibran had submitted the certificate when registering for the 2024 presidential election.

The ruling prompted renewed calls for his resignation, although it did not automatically remove him from office.

Why did Gibran resign?

Gibran's resignation comes amid mounting pressure over his educational qualifications and growing calls for his impeachment.

According to The Straits Times, Indonesian lawmakers began gathering signatures on Nov. 7, 2026, for a motion that could lead to impeachment proceedings.

Protests calling for his resignation or removal have also taken place across Indonesia since October 2026, including outside Parliament in Jakarta on Nov. 10, 2026.

These developments come amid reported tensions between Prabowo and Gibran's father, former president Joko Widodo.

According to The Jakarta Post, their relationship has been strained following cabinet reshuffles since September 2025 that removed or reassigned several of Jokowi's allies.

Most recently, Prabowo's chief of staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo (no relation), known to be close to Widodo, was dismissed and arrested for allegedly wiretapping the president.

After expressing his intention to resign, Gibran said he did not want the controversy surrounding his educational qualifications to drag on.

He also said he would continue defending his credentials through legal proceedings.

Impeachment petition

On Nov. 11, more than 100 Indonesian lawmakers have signed a petition challenging Gibran's eligibility to remain in office, potentially paving the way for impeachment proceedings, according to Reuters.

The petition, signed by lawmakers from several political parties, follows court rulings that found problems with the education documents Gibran used to qualify for the 2024 presidential election.

What's next?

With Gibran's resignation, Indonesia must elect a new vice-president to serve the remainder of the presidential term, which ends in 2029.

Under Indonesia's Constitution, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) must convene within 60 days of the vice-presidency becoming vacant, to elect a replacement from two candidates nominated by President Prabowo.

This means Indonesians will not vote directly for their new vice-president.