Another Vietnamese president bites the dust

Vietnam’s presidency is an increasingly hazardous occupation for what is mainly a ceremonial position. Vo Van Thuong is the second president in a row to fail to serve a full term in office, having taken over from his predecessor Nguyen Xuan Phuc just over a year ago.

Thuong submitted his resignation on Wednesday, which was accepted by the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) the same day. The party said in a statement that Thuong’s “violations and shortcomings” had “left a bad mark on the reputation of the Communist Party”, without elaborating on his alleged transgressions.

His resignation comes amid a heated anti-bribery campaign, known locally as “blazing furnace”, aimed at eradicating corruption within the party and in the wake of a Ministry of Public Security (MPS) investigation into alleged foul play at real estate developer Phuc Son.

The Phuc Son probe has led to the arrest of a dozen or more officials on corruption charges, including in Quang Ngai Province, where Thuong served as party secretary between 2011 and 2014. Thuong’s relatives are reportedly among the beneficiaries of Phuc Son’s largesse.

Thuong’s potential replacements are a who’s who of contenders for the role of general secretary of the CPV, which is up for election in 2026. As with the general secretary position, only those who have already served a full term in the Politburo are eligible for the presidency.

There are only five candidates who currently qualify under the rules – current General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, Minister of Public Security To Lam and Standing Member of the CPV Secretariat and Head of the CPV Central Organization