Communist Vietnam is actually considered stable – but for the second time in just a few years, a president had to resign due to allegations of corruption. Vo Van Thuong was seen as a beacon of hope.
Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong has resigned amid allegations of corruption. This was announced after a special meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). This is the third time the country has had a new head of state in just three years – an unusual situation in the one-party state that is otherwise known for its political stability.
According to the KPV, Thuong will not only lose his presidency, but also his position in the Politburo, the most powerful party body.
The Vietnamese president does not have major political powers. The office is considered the third most important in the country’s political hierarchy.
According to reports, a corruption scandal from 2011 to 2014 is said to be the background to the decision. At the time, Thuong was party secretary of the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai. Details were not known. But the party said:
Vo Van Thuong’s violations and mistakes have created poor public opinion and damaged the reputation of the party, the state and himself.
Already for weeks Resignation rumors
Rumors of Thuong’s impending resignation have been swirling for weeks. A few days ago, a state visit by the Dutch royal couple Willem-Alexander and Máxima planned from March 19th to 22nd was postponed due to “domestic circumstances,” according to an official statement from The Hague.
The politician only took over the presidency in March 2023, after his predecessor Nguyen Xuan Phuc was also deposed after just under two years in office because of his involvement in a corruption scandal.
Youngest president to date
When he took office, the 53-year-old Thuong was the country’s youngest president since the reunification of Vietnam in 1975. He was also considered a possible future contender for the post of CPV general secretary, considered the most powerful post in the country.
With a population of almost 100 million, Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The country is an important trading partner in Southeast Asia for Germany. It was only in January that Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the country together with a business delegation at Thuong’s invitation.
Jennifer Johnston, ARD Singapore, tagesschau, March 20, 2024 1:49 p.m