Weighing Successors to Gibran

What we need to agree on first are the criteria. Based on policy direction and the need for political stability, I believe there are at least six things that must be fulfilled by the new Vice Presidential figure to replace Gibran.

First, credibility in constitutional and ethical terms. The most recent experience teaches us that questioned legitimacy will undermine stability.

The new Vice President must not only meet the qualifications but must do so without loopholes, eliminating any debates over requirements that drain national energy. This is a valuable lesson for our electoral system.

Second, being in sync with the President. They must align with the President’s policy direction, bringing no personal agenda. Their mindset should not be tainted with competing objectives and must not harbor overshadowing ambitions. The Vice President is a supporter, not a challenger.

Third, understanding the constitutional economy. Asta Cita is the blueprint for national development, and its foundation is Article 33.

The Vice President must be able to translate it into practical work. Through people-centered economics and mutual cooperation, cooperatives, SMEs, farmers, and the state's role in safeguarding production branches that dominate public needs.

Fourth, acting as a political and regional bridge. Stability requires cohesion. They need to be accepted across party lines in the coalition, capable of communicating with parliament, and understanding regional pulses.

We have long thought from the center, yet many national issues originate from the periphery.

Fifth, independence from vested interests. Amidst the crackdown on natural resources and asset management, the Vice President must not operate within the orbit of concessions and rents. Conflicts of interest are enemies of credibility.

Sixth, possessing public trust and the ability to communicate with the people. Trust cannot be mandated. It must be earned through a track record and sincerity in demeanor.

The Vice President should be able to articulate the Asta Cita ideas in coffee shops, markets, and villages.

Conversely, there are three things we do not need: figures propagating the bias of dual centers of power, figures burdened by unfulfilled legitimacy or legal issues, and figures reserved for interests treating positions merely as gateways for concessions.

As part of the MPR, the DPD RI has a duty to ensure this process is conducted accountable. It should not be merely ceremonial.

The MPR has the authority to verify candidate requirements, and this must be truly conducted openly and subject to public scrutiny. A clean process will produce a strong Vice President. A dark process will inherit new doubts.

This nation stands at an intersection rarely traversed. We can choose to debate names until we’re hoarse or weigh our needs until we are clear.

The state’s needs today do not require figures who are loud on stage but rather those who work in the field; those who unite rather than divide; those who strengthen rather than overshadow.

The President needs a Vice President who solidifies policy direction and reinforces public trust even more.