Indonesian Vice President Gibran Resigns Amid Political Pressure

Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has resigned, according to aide Budi Arie, who confirmed that the resignation letter was handed directly to President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. It is not yet clear whether Prabowo has accepted it.

The resignation followed an Indonesian Supreme Court ruling that declared invalid a high-school equivalence certificate Gibran had used during the 2024 presidential election campaign. The court found no proof that Gibran had obtained a foreign diploma or certificate that could legally substitute for a senior high school qualification, a requirement under Indonesian law for anyone seeking the vice-presidency.

The court's finding triggered swift political action, with more than 100 lawmakers throwing their support behind a parliamentary initiative that could have set the stage for impeachment proceedings. That mounting pressure appears to have contributed to Gibran's decision to step down before the process advanced further.

Gibran's path to the vice-presidency was made possible by a controversial Constitutional Court decision that waived the minimum age requirement of 40, allowing him to run at age 36. The arrangement was part of a broader alliance between his father, former President Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi, and Prabowo, who had previously been Jokowi's fierce political rival.

His resignation arrives at a moment when that alliance appears to be unravelling. Prabowo has shown little enthusiasm for continuing Jokowi's signature project, the construction of Nusantara as Indonesia's new capital city, and has instead poured government resources into his own free school meals programme. A series of cabinet reshuffles has also seen several Jokowi loyalists moved out of key positions, including long-serving Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

Last week, authorities arrested presidential chief of staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo on suspicion of wiretapping the president. Prabowo dismissed him the following day. Listyo is regarded as a close Jokowi ally, and many observers saw the sacking as a further sign of the fracturing relationship between the two camps. On Monday, three cabinet ministers resigned from the party led by Kaesang Pangarep, Jokowi's youngest son, saying they wanted to concentrate on their government duties.

The political upheaval is unfolding against a difficult backdrop for Prabowo's administration. His free meals programme is facing a funding shortfall, parts of the country have experienced some of the worst wildfires in a decade, and Indonesia's stock market is under pressure amid allegations of widespread manipulation. On Tuesday, students held demonstrations across the country to protest the government's response to those issues, including the environmental crisis and corruption.

Sources

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