Prabowo to name Gibran's potential successors after ASEAN, APEC Summit

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto said he will defer the decision of naming new vice presidential candidates after completing his visit to the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines and the APEC Summit in China.

"I will visit Manila for the ASEAN agenda, not for sightseeing. From Manila, I will continue my visit to Shenzhen, China, and after that, I will decide on the vice-presidential candidates," Prabowo said while opening the 2026 Muhammadiyah Tanwir and commemorating the organization's 114th anniversary in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Saturday (November 14).

He said he needed a "whisper from Almighty God" to determine the most suitable person to succeed Gibran Rakabuming Raka. However, he did not disclose any names or specific criteria for his preferred candidate.

The president made the remarks toward the end of his speech while highlighting his busy schedule ahead.

Prabowo said that he and his cabinet ministers had no days off, as they continued working until midnight and returned to the office as usual the following morning.

"For us, there is no time to rest," he added.

Under Article 8 of the 1945 Constitution, if the vice-presidential office becomes vacant, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) must convene within 60 days to elect a new vice president from two candidates proposed by the president.

Meanwhile, Law No. 17 of 2014 on Legislative Institutions stipulates that candidates nominated to fill a vice-presidential vacancy must come from political parties or coalitions that supported the winning presidential ticket in the 2024 election.

The succession process follows Gibran's resignation on Thursday. He initially submitted a written statement to Prabowo before personally handing his resignation letter to MPR leaders, amid questions about his eligibility stemming from his high school educational qualifications.

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Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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