Vietnam has elected a military general, Luong Cuong, as its new president on Monday, marking the fourth official to fill the largely ceremonial role in just 18 months, The Associated Press reports.
The appointment comes amidst a period of unprecedented political upheaval in the country.
Cuong, 67, was chosen by the National Assembly to succeed To Lam, who had served as president even after assuming the role of general secretary of the ruling Communist Party in August. While the presidency is primarily ceremonial, involving meeting foreign dignitaries, the general secretary position holds the most power in Vietnam.
In his acceptance speech, Cuong pledged to pursue independent and peaceful foreign policies, promoting Vietnam as “a friend, a trusted partner, an active and responsible member of the international community.”
Cuong, a veteran of the Vietnamese army with over four decades of service, has been a Politburo member since 2021. His appointment follows months of political instability triggered by the death of former party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who had dominated the country’s leadership since 2011.
Trong, a staunch ideologue, spearheaded a sweeping anti-corruption campaign known as the “blazing furnace,” targeting both business and political elites, including former presidents Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vo Van Thuong, and the former head of parliament, Vuong Dinh Hue. Lam, as Vietnam’s top security official at the time, led this campaign until May, and upon becoming general secretary, promised to continue the fight against corruption.
While popular among many Vietnamese citizens, the anti-corruption campaign has unnerved investors and created a cautious bureaucracy, slowing down decision-making processes.
Critics, however, express concerns that Cuong’s appointment will exacerbate repression in Vietnam.
Ben Swanton of The 88 Project, an organization advocating for freedom of expression in Vietnam, described Cuong as a “reliable deputy” for Lam.
