Vietnam's President Resigns

Facts

• Just over a year since his election, Vietnam's ruling Communist Party has accepted the resignation of Pres. Vo Van Thuong, whom it accused of having 'shortcomings' that 'negatively impacted public opinion, affecting the reputation of the Party, State and him personally.'¹
• While the presidency is seen as a largely nominal position, it is one of the four highest offices in Vietnam's government. The government decided to remove Thuong after a special parliamentary session on 'personnel matters.'²
• The Communist Party's Central Committee also removed Thuong's positions in the Politburo, the Central Committee, and the chairman of the National Defense and Security Council.³
• While the one-party government has voiced no specific accusations against Thuong, its decision is the latest in a broader leadership shakeup over bribery and corruption allegations.⁴
• This follows the removal of Thaung's predecessor, former Pres. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who was accused of 'violations and wrongdoing.' Days before Thuong's removal, the former head of the Quang Ngai province was removed for alleged corruption that occurred a decade ago.²
• In response to Thuong's removal, the Ho Chi Minh City stock exchange dropped 3%, with analysts raising concerns over the stability of Vietnam's governing system.¹

Sources: ¹Reuters.com, ²Al Jazeera, ³Vietnamnews.Vn and ⁴NBC.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Tuoi Tre News. The Vietnamese government has clear rules regarding office holders' conduct, which Thuong decided to violate and thus forced him to relinquish all official duties. Thuang's corrupt actions have resulted in the public's distrust of their leaders, which is why the Central Committee had to step in and remove him from his position of influence.
• Narrative B, as provided by New York Times. Despite the country's recent economic success — thanks to a manufacturing boom for companies such as Nike, Adidas, and Lululemon — Vietnam is a tightly controlled communist dictatorship. The removal of Pres. Thuong, as was the case for his predecessor, simply means the ruling party's major power players wanted him gone.

Predictions