Indonesia’s Vice-President, Gibran Raka, has tendered his resignation after court rulings invalidated the high-school equivalency certificate he presented during his 2024 election campaign.
The decision has triggered political controversy, with more than 100 lawmakers backing a parliamentary move that could lead to impeachment proceedings against him.
According to The Jakarta Post, Gibran first indicated his intention to step down during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday.
An aide later told the BBC that the vice-president formally submitted his resignation to Prabowo on Wednesday. However, it remains unclear whether the president has accepted it.
Gibran attended school in Singapore and Australia but relied on an Indonesian equivalency certificate to establish that he met the educational requirements for the vice-presidency.
Under Indonesian law, candidates for president and vice-president must have completed senior secondary education or an equivalent qualification.
However, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that there was no evidence confirming that Gibran had graduated.
“No evidence was found to show Gibran had a foreign diploma or certificate that could serve as the basis for equivalency with a senior high school or equivalent qualification,” the court said.
Gibran had earlier maintained that his university education was sufficient evidence that he had completed senior secondary school.
His resignation comes amid growing political tensions following a wiretapping scandal that has deepened divisions between Prabowo and his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
Widodo, who is Gibran’s father, played a significant role in securing support for Prabowo’s election victory two years ago.