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Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto delivers a state address at the parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia, as Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (right) applauds. /AP-Yonhap

Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has expressed his intention to resign amid controversy over his eligibility for office following questions about his academic documents. The issue of his political future has emerged as parliament considers an investigation and tensions deepen between his father, former President Joko Widodo, and President Prabowo Subianto.

According to Reuters and local media reports on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said Gibran had conveyed his intention to resign during a meeting with President Prabowo that day. Hadi denied reports that Prabowo had rejected the resignation offer but did not say whether the president had accepted it. 

At a press conference that day, Gibran said, "I respect all demands, criticism and suggestions from the public," adding, "I do not want this situation to turn into a prolonged political controversy." He said he had expressed his intention to resign to Prabowo, but that the president had advised him to submit all his academic documents and continue his legal challenge through the State Administrative Court.

At the center of the controversy are the educational documents Gibran submitted when registering as a candidate. Last month, Indonesia's Constitutional Court and Supreme Court ruled that the documents failed to meet the election requirements. However, the Constitutional Court said it lacked the authority to disqualify Gibran, as that responsibility fell to another institution.

Parliament is discussing whether to launch an investigation into Gibran's eligibility to serve as vice president. According to Reuters, three parties in Prabowo's ruling coalition and the opposition are considering an investigation. Although the ruling coalition controls 81% of parliamentary seats, neither former President Joko Widodo nor Vice President Gibran belongs to a party represented in parliament. Some experts believe a parliamentary investigation could be the first step toward Gibran's impeachment.

The controversy over Gibran's future comes amid growing strains in the political alliance between Prabowo and former President Joko Widodo, which helped secure their victory in the 2024 presidential election. Widodo, popularly known as "Jokowi," defeated Prabowo in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections but effectively endorsed him as his successor in 2024. The addition of Jokowi's eldest son, Gibran, as Prabowo's running mate helped deliver a landslide victory.

There have also been defections from the party led by Jokowi's family. On Monday, three senior politicians from the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), which is represented in Prabowo's Cabinet, jointly announced their resignation from the party. PSI is led by Gibran's younger brother, Kaesang Pangarep, and supported Gibran in the 2024 presidential election. The party failed to win any seats in the House of Representatives in both the 2019 and 2024 legislative elections.

                                                                                                              Jeong Ri-na