Vietnam’s security chief To Lam becomes new president
Al Jazeera
Lam’s appointment comes after a major anticorruption drive that analysts say he has weaponised for his benefit.
Vietnam’s rubber-stamp parliament has approved public security minister To Lam as the country’s new president after a major anticorruption campaign forced his predecessor to resign.
In line with the one-party state’s usual procedures, the National Assembly voted unanimously on a resolution that approved 66-year-old Lam’s election after a secret ballot in which he was the only candidate for the job. The vote followed his nomination by the ruling Communist Party last week.
Thousands of people – including several senior government and business leaders – have been caught up in a sweeping crackdown on corruption known as “blazing furnace” in which Lam, who is deputy head of the steering committee on anticorruption, has played a central role.
Lam takes over from Vo Van Thuong, who resigned in March over what the party called “violations and shortcomings”, after just a year in the job. The next month the National Assembly chairman also resigned over “violations and shortcomings“.
Analysts have said that Lam, who is deputy head of the steering committee on anticorruption, has weaponised its investigations to take down his political rivals.
