Vietnam elects security chief To Lam as the new president

Asia-Pacific, News May 23, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

Vietnam’s parliament appointed To Lam, former Public Security Minister, as the state president on May 21, 2024. Lam’s appointment comes after his predecessor resigned amid an ongoing anti-corruption campaign that has shaken the country’s political establishment.

Following standard procedures in the tightly controlled elections, lawmakers unanimously voted on a resolution endorsing Lam’s election after a secret ballot, in which he was the sole candidate for the position. This came after his nomination by the Communist Party the previous week.

The elections for the presidency occurred after Vietnam’s National Assembly appointed its new chairman earlier this week. The former deputy Tran Thanh Man assumed the role of chairman on Monday. The recent developments may mark a temporary conclusion to two months of increased political turmoil in the country, during which three of Vietnam’s top five leaders resigned over unspecified allegations.

After being appointed as the president, the 66-year-old To Lam is in a strong position to become e the next Communist Party general secretary, the most important political position in a single-party system country. The currency Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was elected to a third term in 2021, but at age 80, he may not seek another term after 2026.

Gen. To Lam sworn in as president of Vietnam at the National Assembly — *^{A view of Vietnam National Assembly Hall on May 22, 2024. (Image Credit: VNA/VNS/via Twitter)}*

Throughout his role as the Communist Party General Secretary, Trong ran a robust anti-corruption campaign as he considered corruption to be the most serious threat to the party and the country. As Vietnam’s top security official in Trong’s leadership, Lam spearheaded Trong’s extensive anti-corruption initiative and became the most promising candidate to succeed him.

In Vietnam, the role of the state president is predominantly ceremonial, yet it is one of the country’s top four political positions, often referred to as the ‘four pillars.’ The other three positions include the party chief, the prime minister, and the parliament speaker.

Political career and scandals

Lam started from the bottom at the Ministry of Public Security and worked for almost four decades before assuming the role of minister in 2016. His ascent as minister coincided with the country’s intensifying anti-corruption drive, which included the departure of two former presidents and Vietnam’s parliamentary head from the country’s politburo. Lam spearheaded numerous investigations into high-profile politicians during his time at the Public Security Ministry.

Throughout Lam’s tenure as the head of the Public Security Ministry, Vietnam has faced severe criticism from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and other watchdog organizations for its systematic harassment and intimidation of critics.

Gen. To Lam being sworn in as the new president of Vietnam at the National Assembly — *^{To Lam being sworn in as the new president of Vietnam at the National Assembly in Hanoi on May 22, 2024. (Image Credit: VNA/VNS/via Twitter)}*

In 2021, courts convicted at least 32 individuals for expressing critical opinions about the government, handing down multiple-year prison sentences. Additionally, police arrested at least 26 others on fabricated charges, as reported by Human Rights Watch.

Furthermore, the U.S. State Department’s 2023 report on human rights in Vietnam highlighted significant violations by security forces, including numerous abuses reportedly committed by members of the security forces.

Despite being the face of Vietnam’s anti-corruption campaign, Lam also caught himself in corruption scandals. In 2021, celebrity chef Nusret Gokce, famously known as “Salt Bae,” sparked controversy in Vietnam by sharing a video of himself serving Lam a gold-encrusted steak at his London restaurant, despite Vietnam being under COVID-19 lockdown at the time.

The video quickly went viral before being removed by the Turkish chef. Subsequently, a noodle vendor who mimicked “Salt Bae” in a video was sentenced to five years in prison for “anti-state propaganda.”