Vice President Gibran is Legitimate and Constitutional, Impeachment Narrative is Irrelevant
By: Rizky Aditya Nugraha)*
In a constitutional democratic system, the legitimacy of executive power rests entirely on the will of the people and the applicable legal process. The Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has gone through all constitutional procedures, from nomination to the determination of the election results by the General Election Commission (KPU) and legal verification by the Constitutional Court. Therefore, the impeachment discourse that has been voiced again by some groups is not only legally wrong, but also risks worsening the national political atmosphere which should be directed towards consolidation and real work.
The Director of the Indonesian Voters Institute (LPI), Boni Hargens, assessed that the discourse on impeachment against Gibran has no constitutional basis and is only based on political sentiment. This affirmation is important in the context of maintaining political ethics and respecting the results of the general election that has taken place openly. The election system in Indonesia binds the president and vice president in one inseparable package. Therefore, questioning the legitimacy of only one party—without a clear basis for a violation of the law—is a form of inconsistency with the basic law of the country.
Furthermore, Boni Hargens reminded that if there were parties who considered Gibran’s nomination process problematic from the start, then protests should have been filed during the election stages, not after the results were determined and accepted by official institutions. The political process cannot be reversed according to momentary tastes and interests. In a country of law, objections to the election process should be channeled through available channels, such as Bawaslu and the Constitutional Court, not with a baseless impeachment narrative.
It is important to realize that impeachment is not a political instrument that can be used carelessly. Article 7A of the 1945 Constitution states that the president and/or vice president can only be dismissed if proven to have committed a serious violation of the law such as corruption, treason against the state, or other reprehensible acts based on a Constitutional Court ruling. To date, there has not been a single finding or permanent legal decision stating that Vice President Gibran has violated the law or the constitution. Carrying out impeachment without a legal basis is the same as ignoring the spirit of the constitution itself.
This condition is also considered to threaten political and governmental stability. Boni Hargens stated that forcing the impeachment discourse without a legal decision still violates the principle of justice and opens up space for constitutional anarchism. In this context, national stability is at stake. The government that is preparing for the transition and strategic programs after the election needs support, not unproductive political shocks. Shifting attention from the development agenda to the realm of political polemics will actually harm the wider community.
In addition to the legal and stability aspects, there is a democratic dimension that deserves attention. If the impeachment narrative continues to be pushed without objective reasons, then this will actually open the way for pseudo-democratic practices that are full of manipulation of interests. Boni Hargens also reminded that it is not certain that the vice president’s replacement will support democratic values. There is the potential for the emergence of a figure who will strengthen the oligarchy or weaken the principles of participation in government.
The same thing was conveyed by the Secretary General of the Golkar Party, Sarmuji, who stated that Gibran was elected through a legitimate mechanism based on elections and has been strengthened by the decision of the Constitutional Court. As long as there are no legal or moral violations that are legally proven, then his status as vice president cannot be challenged. This assertion is in line with the spirit of substantial democracy, namely that power comes from the people and is confirmed by law, not by unilateral opinion or momentary political pressure.
More than that, Sarmuji invited all elements of society to divert political energy in a more constructive direction. Indonesia currently needs cross-sector collaborative work to answer global challenges, increase economic competitiveness, accelerate digital transformation, and encourage equitable development. All of this can only be achieved if government stability is maintained and the legitimacy of election results is respected. Divisions due to unproductive narratives will only slow down the steps towards progress.
In the dynamics of democratic politics, differences of opinion are certainly natural. However, every difference should be framed in a discussion space that upholds law and ethics. The main task of all components of the nation at this time is not to prolong the controversy, but to prepare an inclusive and progressive future. Gibran’s legitimacy as the vice president-elect is the result of the people’s choice that has been legalized by law. Suing him without basis will only erode trust in the democratic process itself.
Indonesia is facing various strategic challenges that require solid leadership, both at the executive and legislative levels. In this context, maintaining the authority of the elected vice president also means maintaining the dignity of the constitution. The agenda of economic recovery, infrastructure development, bureaucratic reform, and strengthening the education sector will be difficult to implement if national energy continues to be sucked up by issues that have no substantive urgency.
The discourse on impeaching Gibran is not only baseless, but also irrelevant in the current political situation. When constitutional legitimacy has been confirmed, then all parties should respect the results of democracy. Criticism is still needed, but it must be within the framework of constitutional democracy. By respecting the people’s choice and rejecting narratives that damage the legal order, this nation can move forward in a more certain direction.
)* The author is a Strategic Issue Observer
