Vietnam National Assembly Office Chair unexpectedly steps down

Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA), the country's supreme legislative body, has unexpectedly relieved Bui Van Cuong from the post of its General Secretary.

Cuong will also step down as a member of the NA’s Standing Committee and NA member, the NA Office said in a statement late Friday, after a closed-door NA meeting the same day.

He will retire per personal wish and enjoy current pension policies, according to the statement.

Cuong, 59, was a member of the Party Central Committee for the 11th (alternate), 12th and 13th terms. He was an NA deputy for the 13th, 14th, and 15th tenures. He became General Secretary and Chairman of the NA Office in the current (15th) term.

He was president of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in 2016 until being appointed Party chief of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak in July 2019.

Cuong was last seen around 10 days ago when the NA’s Standing Committee discussed the agenda for the ongoing plenum. He did not show up as the NA spokesperson at a press meeting last weekend ahead of the NA gathering.

In April this year, Vuong Dinh Hue stepped down as NA Chairman days after his aide Pham Thai Ha, deputy head of the NA Office, was arrested on April 22.