Indonesian Vice President Gibran Submits Resignation to President Prabowo Amid Diploma Dispute

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has submitted his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto, delivering a seismic political shock to the nascent administration following escalating legal controversies surrounding the validity of his educational credentials.

The formal offer to step down was communicated during a 2.5-hour private meeting between the two leaders at the Presidential Palace complex on Tuesday morning, Nov. 10, 2026. The move follows growing parliamentary momentum to launch an inquiry into the authenticity of Gibran's foreign high school diploma equivalence certificate following recent judicial rulings.

Palace Confirms Resignation Meeting

Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi confirmed the outcome of the meeting to reporters at the State Palace complex in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon, clarifying the nature of the high-level talks.

"The meeting lasted approximately two and a half hours, during which the Vice President, together with the President, Mr. Prabowo Subianto, expressed his intention to step down in order to confront the unfolding dynamics related to decisions issued by the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court," Prasetyo said.

Addressing circulating rumors, the State Secretary pushed back against claims that the head of state had rebuffed his deputy's bid to vacate the office.

"We also want to set the record straight: it is not true that during the meeting the President rejected the intention," Prasetyo stated. "Instead, during the discussion, the President provided substantial advice and input to the Vice President."

Legal Defense at Administrative Court

Prasetyo noted that despite tendering his resignation, the 39-year-old vice president has sought leeway from President Prabowo to formally validate his educational records through established judicial channels.

"During the meeting, the Vice President also requested the opportunity to prove the authenticity and validity of his documents through ongoing proceedings at the State Administrative Court," Prasetyo explained.

The sudden developments arrive just hours after approximately 50 lawmakers across multiple party factions in the House of Representatives (DPR) signed an initiative to invoke parliament's Right to Express an Opinion (HMP)—the initial constitutional threshold required to initiate formal impeachment proceedings against a sitting vice president.

The Credential Dispute and Political Crosscurrents Surrounding Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka

The controversy over Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s educational credentials centers on whether he met the statutory eligibility criteria to run for national office. Under Indonesian election law, presidential and vice-presidential candidates must hold at least a senior high school diploma or a recognized equivalent. Because Gibran completed his secondary education abroad in Singapore and Australia, he submitted an official foreign educational equivalence certificate (suket) issued by the Ministry of Education.

The legal confrontation unfolded in two judicial phases. First, in early October 2026, the Constitutional Court dismissed an electoral dispute (PHPU) challenging Gibran's eligibility because the petitioners lacked standing after his inauguration, emphasizing that post-inauguration challenges cannot simply annul election results. However, the court observed in its reasoning that Gibran's submitted equivalence documentation certified class attendance and credit records rather than conclusive proof of formal secondary school graduation under administrative guidelines.

Second, the Supreme Court later that month declared Gibran’s high school equivalency letter legally invalid, voiding the administrative decree and creating a precedent that opponents quickly seized upon.

While the court rulings did not automatically strip Gibran of the vice presidency, they provided ammunition for parliamentary rivals. In the House of Representatives (DPR), nearly 50 lawmakers signed an initiative to invoke parliament's Right to Express an Opinion (HMP)—the constitutional gateway under Articles 7A and 7B of the 1945 Constitution required to investigate whether a sitting executive has engaged in unlawful conduct or ceased to meet eligibility standards.

Politically, the dispute reflects mounting institutional friction between President Prabowo Subianto's camp and the family of former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). The legal pressure has coincided with an illegal wiretapping scandal implicating high-ranking police generals aligned with the former administration, as well as the abrupt resignation of three cabinet members from the Jokowi-linked Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI). Caught between ongoing proceedings at the State Administrative Court (PTUN) to defend his credentials and an active legislative push in parliament, Gibran tendered his resignation to President Prabowo, marking the sharpest governance crisis for the coalition since taking office.