Gibran Rakabuming Raka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gibran Rakabuming Raka
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Official portrait, 2024
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| 14th Vice President of Indonesia | |
| Assumed office 20 October 2024 |
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| President | Prabowo Subianto |
| Preceded by | Ma'ruf Amin |
| 18th Mayor of Surakarta | |
| In office 26 February 2021 – 16 July 2024 |
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| Vice Mayor | Teguh Prakosa |
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by | Teguh Prakosa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 October 1987 Surakarta, Indonesia |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Selvi Ananda
(m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Family of Joko Widodo |
| Education | Orchid Park Secondary School |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation |
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| Signature |  |
Gibran Rakabuming Raka (born 1 October 1987) is an Indonesian politician and businessman. He became the 14th Vice President of Indonesia in 2024. Before this, he was the 18th mayor of Surakarta from 2021 to 2024. Gibran is the oldest child of the seventh President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. He ran for vice president with Prabowo Subianto in the 2024 Indonesian presidential election.
Gibran studied in Surakarta for his first nine years of school. Then, he moved to Singapore to attend Orchid Park Secondary School. Even though he was mayor for a short time, Gibran made a big difference in Surakarta. He was even named the most popular mayor in 2021.
Gibran's run for vice president at age 36 caused some discussion. The Constitutional Court of Indonesia made a special rule. This rule allowed elected regional leaders, like Gibran, to run even if they were under 40. The General Elections Commission (KPU) faced issues for letting him register early. Despite this, Prabowo and Gibran won the 2024 Indonesian presidential election.
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Early Life and School
Gibran was born in Surakarta, Central Java, on 1 October 1987. He is the oldest child of Joko Widodo and Iriana. He has two younger siblings. Gibran finished his first nine years of school in Surakarta. After that, he moved to Singapore to study at Orchid Park Secondary School.
After secondary school, Gibran went to the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS). He earned his diploma there in 2010. He also got a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from the University of Bradford through a partnership program.
Business Ventures
After working in his family's furniture business for a few years, Gibran started his own company. In 2010, he founded Chilli Pari, a catering business in Surakarta. Gibran said he got the idea because his father's conference center needed catering services. His father, Jokowi, first wanted Gibran to take over the furniture business. But Gibran's catering company grew and became very successful, especially for weddings.
In 2015, Gibran started another food business called Markobar. This was a chain of martabak (a type of pancake) shops. By 2017, Markobar had 29 locations across Indonesia. His father, Jokowi, mentioned in 2017 that Gibran's food company ended up being worth more than his own furniture company. In 2020, Gibran's reported wealth was about Rp22.1 billion.
Becoming a Politician
Mayor of Surakarta
In July 2019, Gibran was seen as a top choice for the 2020 Surakarta mayoral election. This was the same position his father held before becoming governor and then president. Two months later, Gibran joined PDI-P, his father's political party. In July 2020, PDI-P officially chose Gibran as their candidate. He ran with Teguh Prakosa, who was the city council speaker.
Most political parties in Surakarta supported Gibran. This was because of his father's strong influence. In the election, Gibran won by a lot, getting 86.53 percent of the votes. His campaign also spent much more money than his opponent's.
Even though he was mayor for a short time, Gibran made a big impact on Surakarta. He was named the most popular mayor in 2021. This was partly due to his connection with his father. It was also because he worked hard to help the city during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also promoted policies that got a lot of attention.
After winning the 2024 election and becoming vice president, Gibran resigned as Mayor of Surakarta on 16 July 2024. Vice Mayor Prakosa then took over as mayor.
Running for Vice President
The 2024 Election
In late 2022, some groups supporting Jokowi suggested Gibran as a vice-presidential candidate. At that time, candidates had to be 40 years or older. Gibran would be 37 during the election. To allow him to run, the Constitutional Court of Indonesia made a special ruling on 17 October 2023. This ruling allowed people who had been elected as regional leaders to run, even if they were under 40. Gibran's uncle-in-law, Anwar Usman, was the head of the court at the time.
A few days later, on 21 October 2023, the Golkar party chose Gibran as their vice-presidential candidate. He was still part of PDI-P at this time. The next day, Prabowo announced Gibran as his official running mate. Gibran was not there because he was working as mayor. He later sent a letter to his father, the president, to ask for permission.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) faced criticism for allowing Gibran to register. They registered him before they officially changed the age rule. However, Prabowo defended his choice. He said it was a democratic decision and that people should decide. Gibran was also accused of "dynastic politics," meaning he benefited from his family's power. Prabowo defended him again, saying he chose Gibran because he wanted to serve the country.
After the election on 14 February 2024, Prabowo and Gibran quickly took the lead. They won with about 57% of the votes. This meant they won the election in the first round.
Vice Presidency (2024–Present)
Taking Office
Gibran became the Vice President on 20 October 2024. He was 37 years and 19 days old. This made him the youngest person to become Vice President of Indonesia.
As Vice President, Gibran has supported adding Artificial intelligence (AI) studies to the Indonesian school curriculum. He believes students should learn AI skills, like how to create AI prompts. He shared this idea with the Minister of Education and during visits to universities.
Discussions About His Role
Gibran Rakabuming Raka has been the subject of discussions about his role. A group of former military officers, the Forum Purnawirawan Declaration, sent a letter to the DPR and MPR. They asked for a formal review of his vice-presidential appointment. They argued that the Constitutional Court's ruling on the age requirement was controversial. They also questioned his experience as mayor.
The DPR formally received this request on 4 June 2025. However, no official action has been taken yet. Former President Jokowi said this was a "normal, democratic process." Important parties in the ruling coalition have supported Gibran. They have warned against using the review process for political reasons.
Some former military members have expressed their concerns about the lack of progress. They believe there is a process to follow under the Indonesian Constitution.
Personal Life
On 11 June 2015, Gibran married Selvi Ananda. She was the winner of the 2009 Puteri Solo (Miss Solo) beauty pageant. They met when Gibran was a judge in the competition. Their first child, a son named Jan Ethes Srinarendra, was born on 10 March 2016. On 15 November 2019, their daughter, La Lembah Manah, was born.
Gibran is a fan of FC Barcelona, a famous football club. He wore the club's jersey during a campaign event in 2020. Gibran also enjoys anime series. His favorites are Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and The Adventures of Tintin. He often uses Naruto in his public appearances.
Awards and Honors
As the Vice President of Indonesia, Gibran automatically receives the highest class of six out of seven special civilian awards called Star Decorations (Indonesian: Tanda Kehormatan Bintang). These include:
Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 2nd Class (Indonesian: Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipradana; 20 October 2024)
Star of Mahaputera, 1st Class (Indonesian: Bintang Mahaputera Adipurna; 20 October 2024)
Star of Service, 1st Class (Indonesian: Bintang Jasa Utama; 20 October 2024)
Star of Humanity (Indonesian: Bintang Kemanusiaan; 20 October 2024)
Star of Democracy Upholder, 1st Class (Indonesian: Bintang Penegak Demokrasi Utama; 20 October 2024)
Star of Culture Parama Dharma (Indonesian: Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma; 20 October 2024)
Star of Bhayangkara, 1st Class (Indonesian: Bintang Bhayangkara Utama; 20 October 2024)
See also
In Spanish: Gibran Rakabuming Raka para niños
