Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Indonesia's vice president resigns as Prabowo-Jokowi alliance frays

Indonesia's vice president resigns as Prabowo-Jokowi alliance frays

Rule Changes

Gibran Rakabuming Raka stepped down after the Supreme Court invalidated his high school certificate and 120 lawmakers moved toward impeachment.

Today: Lawmakers file motion; Gibran submits resignation

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Gibran Rakabuming Raka submitted his resignation as Indonesia's vice president to President Prabowo Subianto on Nov 11, 2026. Hours earlier, 120 lawmakers from all eight parties in Parliament filed a motion of opinion against him. It was the first formal step toward impeachment, and it followed a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the high school certificate he used to qualify for office.

Gibran is the son of former president Joko Widodo, and his place on the 2024 ticket came from a Constitutional Court ruling that let him run below the age limit. His exit exposes how far the Prabowo-Jokowi partnership has come apart, and it leaves the winning 2024 ticket one seat short.

Why it matters

Gibran's exit tests whether Prabowo's coalition can hold without the Jokowi family, and whether courts can unseat a nationally elected official on paperwork.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

120
Lawmakers backing the motion of opinion
Filed Nov 11, 2026, by members from all eight parties in Parliament.
58.8%
Prabowo-Gibran 2024 vote share
The landslide win analysts linked to Jokowi's legacy.
36
Gibran's age at candidacy
Below the 40-year minimum; exempted by a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling.
$2.7B
Nusantara funding approved to 2029
Rp 48.8 trillion, about 60% of what Jokowi spent between 2022 and 2024.
8
Parties in Parliament backing the motion
Every party in the legislature joined the motion of opinion.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Gibran Rakabuming Raka
Gibran Rakabuming Raka
Vice President of Indonesia
Submitted resignation on Nov 11, 2026; acceptance unclear
 Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo Subianto
President of Indonesia
In office; has not said whether he accepted the resignation
 Joko Widodo
Joko Widodo
Former President of Indonesia (2014-2024)
Out of office; his allies are being reassigned or removed
 Anwar Usman
Anwar Usman
Former Chief Justice, Constitutional Court
Removed as chief justice for not recusing himself
 Prasetyo Hadi
Prasetyo Hadi
State Secretary of Indonesia
In office
 Listyo Sigit Prabowo
Listyo Sigit Prabowo
Former presidential chief of staff
Arrested over alleged wiretapping; sacked
 Kaesang Pangarep
Kaesang Pangarep
Chairman, Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI)
Party lost three cabinet members in November 2026

Organizations Involved

CC
Constitutional Court of Indonesia
Court
Ruled in 2023 to let Gibran run; in 2026 said his documents fell short

Indonesia's court of final appeal for constitutional and election disputes.
SC
Supreme Court of Indonesia
Court
Invalidated Gibran's equivalency certificate on Oct 30, 2026

Indonesia's highest court for civil and administrative appeals.
House of Representatives (Libya)
House of Representatives (Libya)
National legislature
120 lawmakers filed a motion of opinion against Gibran on Nov 11, 2026

Indonesia's national legislature, which shares impeachment authority with the Constitutional Court and the People's Consultative Assembly.
PS
Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI)
Political party
Led by Kaesang Pangarep; three cabinet members resigned from it in Nov 2026

A party aligned with the Widodo family that joined Prabowo's governing coalition.
GE
Gerindra
Political party
Prabowo's party; leads the governing coalition

The party founded by Prabowo Subianto, now the core of Indonesia's governing coalition.

Timeline

October 2023 November 2026

13 events Latest: Today Showing 8 of 13
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Parliament plenary session scheduled

    Upcoming Politics

    The House was set to consider the motion of opinion against Gibran.

  2. Lawmakers file motion; Gibran submits resignation

    Today Legal

    120 lawmakers back a motion of opinion; Gibran hands his resignation letter to Prabowo.

  3. Gibran tells Prabowo he intends to resign

    Statement

    State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi announces the meeting; Prabowo does not reject the idea.

  4. Three cabinet members quit Kaesang's party

    Politics

    They resign from PSI, citing a desire to focus on government duties.

  5. Chief of staff arrested over alleged wiretapping

    Legal

    Listyo Sigit Prabowo is arrested; Prabowo sacks him a day later.

  6. Supreme Court invalidates Gibran's certificate

    Legal

    The court accepts Subhan Palal's appeal and voids the equivalency document.

  7. Constitutional Court rejects petition, doubts diploma

    Legal

    The court says the documents did not amount to a senior high school-equivalent diploma.

  8. Petitioners ask court to void Gibran's candidacy

    Legal

    Denny Indrayana and 10 others file at the Constitutional Court.

  9. Lawyer challenges Gibran's certificate

    Legal

    Subhan Palal's suit is dismissed by the Central Jakarta District Court.

  10. Prabowo begins removing Jokowi loyalists

    Politics

    Reshuffles reassign officials including finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

  11. Prabowo-Gibran win the election

    Election

    The ticket takes 58.8% of the vote in a landslide.

  12. Prabowo names Gibran as running mate

    Politics

    The pair submits Gibran's high school equivalency certificate to the election commission.

  13. Constitutional Court opens the door for Gibran

    Legal

    A 5-4 ruling led by Anwar Usman exempts candidates under 40 who had been elected regional heads.

Scenarios

1

Prabowo accepts the resignation and names a replacement

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Reuters, ANTARA and the Jakarta Post, citing State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and aide Budi Arie Setiadi

Prabowo said he had not rejected Gibran's intention to resign. If he accepts, the constitution sets out a process for filling the vacancy, and the coalition would need to agree on a replacement acceptable to the parties that backed the 2024 ticket.

2

Parliament presses impeachment despite the resignation

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Nikkei Asia and the Associated Press, citing the 120-lawmaker motion

The motion of opinion was set for a plenary session on Nov 12. Lawmakers could continue the process even after a resignation, arguing the eligibility question must be settled. Constitutional law experts quoted by the Straits Times said courts have little role in an impeachment.

3

Gibran withdraws the resignation and challenges the rulings

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Gibran's own statements, relayed by Prasetyo Hadi; legal experts quoted by the Straits Times doubt it

Gibran asked for a chance to challenge the Supreme Court ruling. Legal experts, including coordinating minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, said the rulings are final and he has no pathway. If he tries anyway, the case would test whether a vice president can litigate his own eligibility.

4

The Jokowi-aligned bloc leaves the coalition

Uncertain Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: The Jakarta Post and BBC, citing the cabinet resignations and the Listyo arrest

Three cabinet members quit Kaesang Pangarep's PSI, and Prabowo sacked a Jokowi ally over the wiretapping case. If the Widodo-aligned parties formally exit, Prabowo would govern with a narrower base and the 2024 alliance would be over.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

July 2001

Impeachment of Abdurrahman Wahid (2001)

Indonesia's first democratically elected president, Abdurrahman Wahid, was removed by the People's Consultative Assembly in July 2001. The assembly opened proceedings after a censure over corruption allegations and a standoff with Parliament. Wahid had also lost the support of key coalition partners.

Then

Wahid was replaced by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Now

The episode established that Indonesia's post-Suharto system could remove a president through constitutional procedure rather than a coup.

Why this matters now

It shows the mechanism now facing Gibran: Indonesian legislatures can escalate a censure into removal, and coalition partners can abandon a leader quickly.

August 2016

Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff (2016)

Brazil's Senate removed President Dilma Rousseff in August 2016 for illegally manipulating government budget accounts. The case turned on administrative violations rather than personal corruption. Rousseff denied wrongdoing and called it a coup.

Then

Vice President Michel Temer finished her term.

Now

The impeachment deepened Brazil's political polarization and set a precedent for removing a leader over fiscal accounting.

Why this matters now

Like Gibran's case, it shows an impeachment can rest on a technical or documentary violation rather than a criminal charge.

January 2001

People Power II and Estrada's fall (2001)

The Philippine House impeached President Joseph Estrada in November 2000 on corruption charges. When the Senate trial collapsed in January 2001, mass protests and military defections forced him out. The Supreme Court then declared the presidency vacant.

Then

Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took office.

Now

It showed that street protests and elite defection can finish what an impeachment trial starts.

Why this matters now

Indonesia has seen protests over Gibran's eligibility, and the case shows how legal process and public pressure can combine.

Sources

(10)
+4
BBC News Nikkei Asia Associated Press The Straits Times The Jakarta Post ANTARA News South China Morning Post Reuters (via Internazionale) The Jakarta Post Associated Press