Vietnam - April 2024

On 26 April, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue resigned over unspecified ‘violations and shortcomings’ amidst a corruption investigation involving a real estate firm. This follows the arrest of Pham Thai Ha, the Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly four days earlier. Vietnam’s long-running anti-corruption campaign has intensified since 2022, ensnaring hundreds of high-ranking officials. Then-President Vo Van Thuong abruptly resigned in March, the second presidential resignation within 15 months. As a result, two of the four highest political offices in Vietnam are now vacant, alongside five of the 18 seats in the Communist Party Politburo. The anti-graft drive has also implicated private citizens; earlier in the month, a court sentenced property tycoon Truong My Lan to death in a USD 44 billion fraud case – a rare verdict for a white-collar crime. Political analysts have expressed concern that recent developments indicate growing political instability in the country.

Update: Vietnam’s National Assembly elected General Luong Cuong as president on 21 October. Political analysts note that Cuong’s appointment represents an attempt to stabilize the system after months of political turmoil. 

Source: International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Vietnam Economic Times, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, CNN