Read the story in Bahasa Indonesia
Indonesia's Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has resigned, ending a political saga that has played out across multiple court cases and amid mounting calls for his impeachment.
asserted
that → read → impeachment
Here's what we know about why the country's youngest ever vice-president resigned before the end of his term and how his successor will be chosen.
asserted
successor → know → term
Gibran Rakabuming Raka is the eldest son of Indonesia's seventh president, Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi.
asserted
Raka → know → Jokowi
Mr Gibran was a businessman before entering politics.
asserted
Gibran → enter → politics
He founded a wedding organising business and launched a range of food and beverage ventures with his younger brother, Kaesang Pangarep, several of which remain in operation.
asserted
several → found → operation
Mr Gibran formally entered politics when he joined his father's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), in September 2019.
asserted
he → enter → September
Soon after, he successfully ran for mayor of Solo in Central Java — a position once held by Mr Jokowi before he became president — with the support of his party.
asserted
he → run → party
This put him at odds with the PDIP, which backed rival candidates.
asserted
which → put → candidates
Mr Gibran was later expelled from the party.
asserted
Gibran → expel → party
In Indonesia, presidential and vice-presidential candidates aren't required to be from the same party.
asserted
candidates → require → party
Mr Prabowo and Mr Gibran were sworn in as Indonesia's president and vice-president in October 2024.
asserted
Gibran → swear → October
Why did Mr Gibran resign?
asserted
Gibran → resign → ?
The controversy centred on a single document.
asserted
controversy → centre → document
Under Indonesian election law, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates must have completed senior high school or the equivalent.
asserted
candidates → complete → school
Several politicians challenged Mr Gibran's eligibility, arguing he had failed to provide proof of his qualifications.
asserted
he → challenge → qualifications
They alleged he relied on a substitute certificate that should not have been accepted by the General Elections Commission, and argued he should be disqualified from office.
asserted
he → allege → office
The Constitutional Court rejected the challenge, ruling the matter could no longer be addressed through the presidential election dispute process because Mr Gibran had already been sworn in as vice-president.
However, Judge Adies Kadir said: "The court found no convincing evidence that Gibran has a foreign diploma equivalent to having completed senior high school, or another equivalent qualification as stipulated in the Election Law."
uncertain
Gibran → reject → Law
The Constitutional Court's finding was later reinforced by a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the substitute high school equivalency certificate issued by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education that he had used when registering for the election.
asserted
he → reinforce → election
The rulings fuelled calls in parliament to remove Mr Gibran from office, with politicians arguing he no longer met the requirements to serve as vice-president.
asserted
he → fuel → president
Before the impeachment process could run its course, however, he chose to resign.
uncertain
he → run → course
What happens next?
asserted
What → happen → ?
The resignation does not affect Mr Prabowo's position.
asserted
resignation → affect → position
Under Indonesia's constitution, the president continues to govern if the vice-presidency becomes vacant.
asserted
presidency → continue → constitution
The People's Consultative Assembly, or MPR, must then convene a session within 60 days to elect a new vice-president.
asserted
Assembly → convene → president
The replacement will be chosen from two candidates nominated by the president.
asserted
replacement → choose → president
The process begins with the president submitting the names and supporting documents of two nominees, which are then verified by the MPR.
asserted
which → begin → MPR
The assembly will determine whether the candidates meet the requirements before holding a vote in a plenary session.
asserted
candidates → determine → session
The candidate who wins the most votes will become vice-president.
asserted
who → win → votes
If both candidates receive the same number of votes, a second round will be held.
asserted
round → receive → votes
And if the result remains tied, the president will choose one of the two candidates.
Who could replace him?
It is still too early to know who will replace Mr Gibran.
uncertain
who → remain → Gibran
Several potential candidates are already being discussed, both from Mr Prabowo's political circle and from outside the governing coalition.
asserted
candidates → discuss → coalition
One name frequently mentioned is Puan Maharani, a senior PDIP politician, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the daughter of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
asserted
name → mention → Soekarnoputri
Mr Prabowo ran as Ms Megawati's running mate in the 2009 election, but was unsuccessful.
asserted
Prabowo → run → election
While the PDIP is not part of the governing coalition, it has never formally declared itself an opposition party either.
asserted
itself → govern → coalition
Other names being floated include Sugiono, the former foreign minister and secretary-general of the Gerindra Party, and Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, a deputy speaker of parliament and Gerindra's executive chairman.
asserted
names → float → parliament
Both men are among Mr Prabowo's closest political allies and come from the president's own party.
Constitutional law expert Zainal Arifin Mochtar said one thing is clear:
"Politics is always full of surprises.
asserted
Politics → come → surprises
Politics never works with certainty."
asserted
Politics → work → certainty
The Aporia
