Indonesia's vice president resigns amid eligibility dispute

Indonesia's Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has resigned from his position following a scandal concerning his high school diploma. The 39-year-old official submitted his resignation letter to President Prabowo Subianto and parliament on Thursday, according to the speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly. An aide, Budi Arie, stated that the letter was delivered directly to the president on Wednesday, though it was initially unclear if the resignation had been accepted.

The resignation follows rulings from both the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court last month, which determined that documents submitted by Gibran regarding his overseas education were invalid. Indonesian law requires vice-presidents to have completed senior secondary school or an equivalent qualification. The Supreme Court stated that "No evidence was found to show Gibran had a foreign diploma or certificate that could serve as the basis for equivalency with a senior high school or equivalent qualification."

Gibran, who had studied in Singapore and Australia, previously argued that his university education served as sufficient proof of his secondary schooling. On Tuesday, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi reported that Gibran requested the opportunity to challenge the court's findings and prove the legitimacy of his credentials. However, with questions regarding his eligibility growing, more than 100 lawmakers supported a parliamentary initiative to begin impeachment proceedings against him.

A petition signed by 120 lawmakers from eight political parties was submitted to the House of Representatives on Wednesday. This move would have required the establishment of a special committee to investigate whether Gibran violated the constitution by serving without meeting legal election requirements. Under the constitution, a vice-presidential vacancy does not trigger a new election; instead, the People’s Consultative Assembly must elect a replacement from two candidates nominated by the president within 60 days.

Gibran’s political rise occurred during the 2024 election as part of an alliance between President Prabowo and outgoing president Joko Widodo, who is Gibran's father. Gibran, who was 36 at the time, only became eligible for the ticket following a controversial Constitutional Court ruling that exempted him from the minimum age requirement of 40. His departure arrives during a period of turbulence for the administration, marked by tensions between Prabowo and his predecessor.

Prabowo has recently shifted various loyalists of Joko Widodo, including finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, into new roles. Further strain was evident when presidential chief of staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo was arrested last week on suspicion of wiretapping the president, leading to his immediate sacking. Additionally, on Monday, three cabinet members resigned from the party led by Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of Joko Widodo, stating they wished to focus on their government duties.

The administration is currently facing widespread public dissatisfaction, with students across the country staging demonstrations on Tuesday to protest corruption and the government's handling of an environmental crisis. Indonesia has recently battled its worst wildfires in a decade, while the national stock market faces a crisis amid allegations of market manipulation. Furthermore, the government’s flagship free school meals programme is reportedly struggling for funding.