Jakarta. Vice Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono has resigned from the Gerindra Party after being nominated as a candidate for deputy governor of Bank Indonesia, meeting a key requirement that central bank leaders have no political affiliations.

The resignation was confirmed on Tuesday by State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, who is also a deputy chairman of the Gerindra Party.

“At the time of his nomination, he had already fulfilled all the required conditions. He has resigned from party membership,” Prasetyo said.

Under Indonesian law, senior officials at Bank Indonesia must be politically neutral to safeguard the central bank’s independence.

President Prabowo Subianto has submitted three names to the House of Representatives to replace Deputy Governor Juda Agung, who has tendered his resignation from the central bank. Juda is widely reported to be in line for a post as vice finance minister, raising the possibility of a role swap with Thomas.

While the identities of the other two nominees have not been disclosed, Thomas has drawn particular attention because he is the president’s nephew and previously served as treasurer of the Gerindra Party. His nomination has sparked public debate over the need to preserve the independence of Bank Indonesia.

As previously reported, Thomas was formally nominated by President Prabowo as one of the candidates for the deputy governor post following Juda’s planned departure. The president’s nomination letter to parliament triggered a legislative selection process, as required by law.

Thomas, 52, was appointed vice finance minister roughly three months before Prabowo was sworn in as president in October 2024. Prior to entering government, he was an active figure within the Gerindra Party, which backs the current administration.

Parliament is expected to begin deliberations on the nominees in the coming weeks, with lawmakers tasked with assessing their qualifications and independence before selecting the next deputy governor of Bank Indonesia.