Indonesia to elect new vice-president on 2 December
Indonesia’s parliament has scheduled the election and inauguration of a successor to Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
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Indonesia’s parliament will elect a new vice-president on 2 December. Parliamentary speaker Ahmad Muzani announced this on Friday, a day after Gibran Rakabuming Raka submitted his resignation.
The People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) will hold a plenary session on Wednesday 2 December at which the successor will be elected, the result ratified and the new vice-president sworn in. The date was set during a joint meeting of the MPR leadership, faction representatives and members of the regional representative body.
According to Muzani, the vacancy must be filled within sixty days of the resignation. President Prabowo Subianto must nominate two candidates within fourteen days of receiving an official request from the MPR. The candidates must come from parties that supported the winning presidential candidate in the 2024 election, or from that coalition.
The procedure follows Gibran’s resignation. He is the 39-year-old son of former president Joko Widodo. President Prabowo accepted his resignation on 12 November. The Indonesian government said Gibran made his decision after court rulings raised questions about the requirements he had to meet for the office.
Gibran himself gave no specific reason in his resignation letter. According to AP, he said in a video message that his departure should not be seen as an admission that he was unable to perform his duties, and that his educational documents had been submitted to the court. The Associated Press said he was thereby rejecting a link between his decision and the dispute over his secondary-school diploma.
The rapid timetable could limit political uncertainty, but the succession could also lead to new tensions. Prabowo formally has the power to nominate two candidates, while the final choice rests with the MPR. The balance between coalition parties could therefore also play a role in the succession.
For the Netherlands, the main concern is that the political stability of Indonesia, South-east Asia’s largest economy, does not come under further pressure. Nothing has yet been decided about the candidates’ identities or the consequences for policy. The next concrete step is Prabowo’s nomination of two candidates.
Also show the region and a close-up
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Indonesia’s vice-president Gibran Rakabuming Raka has resigned.
- The MPR has set 2 December as the date for the election and inauguration of his successor.
- President Prabowo Subianto will nominate two candidates; the MPR will choose between them.
- The resignation letter gives no specific reason.
Left
Arguments From this perspective, the rapid succession should be transparent and democratic, with scrutiny of the candidates’ qualifications and distance from dynastic politics.
Values Institutional oversight, equal political opportunities and public accountability.
Consequences A process arranged mainly within the governing coalition could further weaken confidence in Indonesia’s democratic institutions.
Centre
Arguments The constitutional procedure should be carried out quickly but carefully, so that the government remains governable and the MPR fulfils its legal role.
Values Continuity, the rule of law and administrative stability.
Consequences A broad choice of candidates and a clear explanation could limit political uncertainty, even if the balance of power does not change.
Right
Arguments The president should be given room to choose a candidate who keeps the coalition together and implements the government programme, without prolonged parliamentary deadlock.
Values Effective government, order and the political responsibility of the election winner.
Consequences A rapid coalition choice could deliver stability, but an overly closed process could intensify criticism of the concentration of power and political family ties.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
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The central event and procedure have been confirmed by ANTARA and Indonesian government sources. The context surrounding Gibran’s resignation and the disputed educational documents was independently described by AP; the unknown candidates and consequences are marked as uncertain.
- confirmed The MPR will elect and inaugurate a new vice-president on 2 December 2026. — Confirmed by MPR chairman Ahmad Muzani via ANTARA. source
- confirmed The successor must be elected within sixty days. — According to the MPR chairman’s explanation in the ANTARA report. source
- confirmed Prabowo must nominate two candidates within fourteen days of an official request from the MPR. — Procedure described by ANTARA. source
- confirmed Gibran submitted his resignation on 12 November and Prabowo accepted it. — Confirmed by the Indonesian cabinet and AP. source
- confirmed Gibran’s educational documents were the subject of a legal dispute. — Reported by AP and mentioned in the official government statement as the reason for the constitutional debate. source
Editor's note
It is established that the MPR intends to elect and inaugurate a successor on 2 December. The candidates are not yet known; the motives for Gibran’s resignation remain formally unspecified.Sources
- Indonesia's MPR to elect new vice president on December 2 — ANTARA News
- President Prabowo Accepts the Resignation of Vice President Gibran — Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia
- Indonesia’s vice president resigns as his eligibility and academic credentials are questioned — AP News
- Gibran resigns as vice president, letter gives no reason: MPR — ANTARA News
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „indonesië jakarta”
- Het Parool — „indonesië jakarta”
- Trouw — „indonesië jakarta”