HANOI: Vietnam's rubber-stamp parliament unanimously approved army general Luong Cuong as the country's new president on Monday, the fourth person in the job in less than two years. The president in Vietnam occupies a largely ceremonial role, which includes meeting foreign counterparts. All 440 National Assembly deputies at Monday's session voted to pass the nomination, according to state television.
Cuong takes over as president from To Lam, who has unusually held the role alongside his position as general secretary during recent upheaval linked to a major anti-corruption campaign. As the Communist party's general secretary, Lam is the most powerful figure in Vietnam's leadership structure. For decades in Vietnam, all changes were carefully orchestrated with an emphasis on stability.
But a major anti-graft purge since 2021 swept up several high-level figures. Ex-President To Lam was named general secretary of the Communist Party in August following the death of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong. — AFP
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