Indonesia’s Constitutional Court is set to deliver a closely watched ruling on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, on a petition seeking to annul Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s 2024 election victory over allegations concerning his educational qualifications. The case could potentially remove Gibran from office and create further political uncertainty for President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.

The challenge, filed by 12 petitioners led by former deputy law minister Denny Indrayana, argues that Gibran did not adequately meet Indonesia’s legal requirement that presidential and vice-presidential candidates complete senior high school or an equivalent level of education. The petitioners have asked the court to disqualify Gibran and invalidate his appointment as vice president.

Education Records at the Centre of the Case

Gibran, the 39-year-old eldest son of former President Joko Widodo, studied at Orchid Park Secondary School in Singapore and later attended UTS Insearch in Australia before obtaining a bachelor’s degree through the Management Development Institute of Singapore.

The dispute centres on whether his overseas education satisfied Indonesia’s eligibility requirements. An Indonesian Education Ministry official told the court on October 2 that the ministry’s equivalency assessment considered Gibran’s overall educational history, while acknowledging that a formal diploma had not been submitted during the candidate registration process.

The petitioners argue that the educational requirement was mandatory at the time of registration and that government-issued equivalency documentation cannot cure what they describe as deficiencies in Gibran’s candidacy.

Court Ruling Could Have Major Political Consequences

The nine-judge Constitutional Court is scheduled to announce its decision later Tuesday. The petitioners have asked for Gibran’s candidacy to be declared legally defective, his appointment to be cancelled and for parliament to select a replacement vice president from candidates proposed by the president.

The case adds another layer of political pressure around the Prabowo-Gibran administration. Gibran became vice president alongside Prabowo after their victory in the 2024 presidential election, following a campaign that generated controversy over his eligibility.

His candidacy was made possible after a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling created an exception to the presidential and vice-presidential age requirement. That decision triggered protests and accusations that the change benefited Gibran, who was then below the normal age threshold.

The latest legal challenge therefore goes beyond Gibran’s academic records, with the outcome potentially affecting perceptions of Indonesia’s electoral institutions, the legitimacy of the vice presidency and the political influence of the Widodo family.

The Constitutional Court’s ruling is expected to be closely watched in Indonesia, as it could determine whether Gibran remains in office or whether the country enters a new constitutional process to replace him.

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