On Thursday, November 12, Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka officially submitted his resignation to the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR). This move has put an end to ongoing speculation regarding his political future. The same day, his father, former President Joko Widodo, publicly expressed support for the current president, Prabowo Subianto.
Gibran, who is 39 years old, arrived at the MPR building in the capital city of Jakarta. He met with MPR Chairman Ahmad Muzani for approximately 20 minutes, during which he personally handed over his resignation letter and requested prompt processing. This is the highest-profile resignation in Indonesia since the fall of President Suharto in 1998.
Muzani later read Gibran’s resignation letter at the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) building. The letter stated, “I, Gibran, hereby announce my resignation from the position of Vice President of Indonesia on my own volition. This decision is made fully informed and thoughtfully, aiming to uphold the interests of the nation and the people,
and to ensure a smooth governance process. I firmly believe that personal interests cannot take precedence over the nation and the Indonesian people.”
Muzani noted that the resignation letter did not provide detailed reasons for Gibran’s decision. Earlier, Gibran had submitted a similar letter to President Prabowo. The Presidential Office confirmed that Gibran had met with Prabowo, but it did not disclose the specifics of their discussion, only indicating that Gibran had expressed his intention to resign.
Following the announcement, former President Joko Widodo, commonly known as “Jokowi,” addressed numerous reporters outside his residence in Solo, Central Java. He remarked, “I told Gibran that a government position is only temporary. We will continue to support President Prabowo, particularly in his various pro-people and welfare policies.”
Gibran was elected alongside Prabowo in the 2024 elections. During the campaign period, Joko Widodo faced accusations of manipulating court rulings to modify electoral regulations, enabling Gibran’s candidacy, which raised concerns about interference in the electoral process.
Prior to Gibran’s resignation, several lawmakers had initiated impeachment procedures against him, citing inadequate educational qualifications. Recently, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court and Supreme Court ruled that the documents Gibran submitted regarding his overseas high school education did not meet the legal standards for a vice presidential candidate, leading to eligibility disputes.
On Wednesday, November 11, 120 members of parliament from all eight political party factions signed a proposal to initiate the “right to express an opinion” procedure, a mechanism that could trigger further impeachment processes against Gibran.
According to Indonesia’s current constitutional regulations, when the vice president’s position becomes vacant, the People’s Consultative Assembly must select a successor from two candidates nominated by the president within 60 days.
Senior Minister of Law Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated that parliamentary leaders would convene to discuss the subsequent procedural arrangements while simultaneously sending a letter to the president, requesting the nomination of two substitute candidates.
Analysts have expressed concerns regarding Prabowo’s government’s ability to manage the country’s economy, and political instability has weakened investor confidence. Currently, the Indonesian stock market is facing downward risks, with the Indonesian rupiah depreciating approximately 0.6% against the US dollar, hitting a historic low of 18,255 rupiah per dollar.
Furthermore, analysts pointed out that the rift between Prabowo and Jokowi’s factions, along with ongoing investigations into alleged wiretapping cases, may further impact government stability and investor confidence.
Last week, news surfaced regarding an investigation into illegal wiretapping involving several senior police officers, including Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who is widely regarded as an ally of Jokowi.
In an apparent attempt to uncover the political interests behind these actions, members of the People’s Consultative Assembly previously urged Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto to conduct a thorough investigation into who had ordered Listyo to carry out the wiretapping.
On Thursday, police announced that they had gathered sufficient preliminary evidence to file charges of treason against four suspects accused of wiretapping Prabowo, other political figures, activists, and journalists.