Nguyen Xuan Phuc leaves State President position

The National Assembly, Vietnam's legislative body, voted and agreed to let Nguyen Xuan Phuc resign from the position of State President on Wednesday.

Phuc resigned at the age of 69, after nearly two years in this position. He is the first president to take a mid-term leave since 1976.

Previously, on Tuesday, the Party Central Committee had agreed to let Nguyen Xuan Phuc step down as a Politburo member, Party Central Committee member, State President, and Chairman of the National Defense and Security Council for the 2021-2026 term per his wish.

Before becoming President in April 2021, Phuc had one term as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2021.

"As Prime Minister for the 2016-2021 term, he made great efforts in leading, directing and administering the country's Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control work, achieving important results.

"However, as a top leader, Phuc allowed officials, including two Deputy Prime Ministers and three ministers, commit violations and shortcomings, causing very serious consequences," according to an announcement released by the Party Central Committee on Tuesday.

Previously, Deputy Prime Ministers Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam had resigned from their positions.

The three ministers were assessed by the the Party Central Committee as having violations and shortcomings, causing very serious consequences, are Nguyen Thanh Long, former Minister of Health; Chu Ngoc Anh, former Mayor of Hanoi; and Mai Tien Dung, former Minister, Chairman of the Government Office.

Nguyen Thanh Long and Chu Ngoc Anh have been arrested, while Mai Tien Dung received a warning from the Party Central Committee's Secretariat.

Aware of his responsibilities before the Party and people, Phuc submitted an application to resign from his positions and retire.

On Wednesday, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, on behalf of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, announced that Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan will be acting President until the legislative body elects a new president.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, 69, is a native of Quang Nam province. He has a bachelor's degree in economics. He was a Politburo member for three consecutive terms, Party Central Committee member for four consecutive terms, and National Assembly delegate for four terms.

After graduating from the Hanoi National Economics University, he returned to his hometown to work as an officer of the economic management board of Quang Nam- Danang province.

He was a specialist, deputy head and then head of the provincial People's Committee's Office; director of the provincial Department of Tourism cum chairman of the Furama Danang Tourist Area's board of directors; director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment.

From 1997 to 2006, he was Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee cum head of the provincial Industrial Parks Management Board; Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee; Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, chairman of the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Quang Nam province.

In March 2006, he became deputy inspector general of the Government; then Vice Chairman of the Government Office; then Minister, Chairman of the Government Office.

In August 2011, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and elected Prime Minister five years later by the National Assembly.

At the 13th National Congress in early 2021, Prime Minister Phuc was one of two "special cases" that the 12th Politburo re-elected. In April 2021, Phuc was appointed State President.

At the beginning of the 13th term, the Politburo had 18 members. After Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc resigned, the Politburo now has 16 members.