An Indonesian minister has said that Prabowo Subianto can continue to exercise executive power alone following Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's resignation, without having to hand over power to other ministers even when travelling abroad.
Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the vacant vice-presidency did not have to be filled immediately, nor would it trigger an interim arrangement under which three ministers would assume presidential powers. He was speaking to reporters at the presidential palace in Jakarta on Thursday (12 November), according to Indonesia's Antara news agency.
"If there is no Vice President, the President simply exercises power himself. The Vice President’s role is to assist the President with his duties," he said.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra said modern communications technology allowed the president to stay in touch with the cabinet and issue orders and instructions directly to ministers even while overseas. Ministers could continue overseeing their portfolios at home, while some could accompany the president abroad, so government operations would not be affected.
He stressed that under Indonesia's constitutional system, the vice-president had no independent authority to make executive decisions. Even when in the country, the vice-president could not make formal decisions independently. Policies or decrees signed by the vice-president remained, in law, decisions of the president.
Gibran Rakabuming Raka formally submitted his resignation to the People's Consultative Assembly on Thursday. He had earlier faced questions over his high school qualifications relating to his eligibility to contest the 2024 presidential election.
Separately, AFP reported that People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Ahmad Muzani said on Friday (13 November) that a plenary session was expected to be held on 2 December to elect a new vice-president to replace Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
