JAKARTA - Indonesia’s parliament is considering preliminary legislative measures that could trigger an impeachment inquiry into Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, following landmark court rulings concerning the validity of his educational credentials.
The moves come after the Supreme Court invalidated an equivalence certificate for Gibran’s high school education issued prior to the 2024 presidential election. The Constitutional Court subsequently ruled that it lacked direct authority to remove a sitting vice president, determining that any challenge to executive tenure must be adjudicated through constitutional procedures in parliament.
The judicial decisions have intensified scrutiny on the administration of President Prabowo Subianto. Senior lawmakers across several parliamentary factions have moved to launch an official inquiry under the House of Representatives' constitutional powers to examine whether the legal defect invalidates Gibran's eligibility to hold office.
Removing a sitting vice president under Indonesia’s 1945 Constitution requires a complex, multi-stage mechanism. Parliament must first secure a two-thirds supermajority in a plenary session to submit formal charges of wrongdoing or disqualification to the Constitutional Court. Should the court substantiate the parliament's findings, the matter moves to the People's Consultative Assembly, where a final vote requiring a two-thirds majority of attending members is needed to execute a removal.
Political leaders have called for restraint as parliamentary leadership reviews the filings. Former President Joko Widodo, Gibran's father, urged all political actors to adhere strictly to constitutional channels. Meanwhile, civil society groups and opposition figures have staged demonstrations outside the parliamentary complex in Jakarta, demanding either formal proceedings or a voluntary resignation to preserve institutional integrity.
