HANOI, Vietnam: Vietnam’s legislature approved the resignation of President Vo Van Thuong on Thursday, marking the latest top official to step down amidst an intensified anti-graft campaign led by the ruling Communist Party.
Thuong, 53, became the second president to resign in just over a year, reflecting the leadership changes linked to the comprehensive “blazing furnace” anti-bribery campaign.
While state media reports did not specify Thuong’s replacement, Vietnam’s constitution dictates that Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan would assume the presidency. The national assembly office did not immediately confirm these reports.
Although the president’s role is largely ceremonial, it holds significance as one of the top four political positions in Vietnam. Thursday’s vote by the National Assembly, known for its rubber-stamp approval, follows the party’s central committee’s acceptance of Thuong’s resignation. This decision removed him from the Politburo, the party’s top decision-making body, and his position as head of the National Defence and Security Council.
The central committee cited Thuong’s violation of party rules, indicating that these “shortcomings” had a detrimental impact on public opinion and tarnished the reputation of the Party, State, and himself. However, specific details of his wrongdoing were not disclosed.
Vo Thi Anh Xuan, recognized as one of the few women in senior political positions in Vietnam, will ascend to the presidency for the second time in just over a year. She previously assumed the role during the interim period after Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s resignation as president last year due to “violations and wrongdoing” by officials under his supervision.
Thuong’s close association with ageing General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam’s influential figure, underscores his role in the ongoing anti-graft campaign. Trong has spearheaded the intensified crackdown, addressing several high-profile fraud and corruption cases involving top officials and corporate executives.
