Gibran, who studied abroad, used the certificate to comply with education requirements and run in the 2024 election, which he won alongside Prabowo.
Indonesian election law requires vice-presidential candidates to have completed senior high school or an equivalent level of education, but the court found that the certificate was issued based on evidence that did not actually prove Jokowi’s eldest son 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 in the ruling.
The Supreme Court also took into account the Constitutional Court’s ruling, which said Gibran’s education documents did not meet election requirements.
Sana Jaffrey, a researcher at Australian National University, said it would be difficult to imagine that lawmakers will move against Gibran without Prabowo’s awareness or approval.
“Prabowo’s silence suggests that he wants Gibran’s removal without bearing the potential political cost of openly engineering it, particularly a possible backlash from Jokowi supporters whose backing helped secure his victory,” she said.
She said the crisis shows how the political fortunes of a small number of elites take precedence over the country’s need for effective and stable governance.
“Prolonged uncertainty at the highest levels of power will only deepen anxieties at home and abroad about where the country is headed,” she said.
