Vietnam President Vo Van Thuong steps down

Vietnam's Party Central Committee has accepted State President Vo Van Thuong's resignation.

Thuong will also step down as a Politburo member, a Party Central Committee member and Chairman of the National Security and Defense Council for the 2021-2026 term, in line with his wishes.

The move was endorsed by the Party Central Committee at an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday afternoon, after reviewing Vo Van Thuong's resignation letter.

A release from the Party Central Committee Office, issued immediately after the meeting, stated that the committee said Thuong has been a key leader of the Party and State, with good training. "He has grown from grassroots levels and been assigned to hold many important leadership positions."

However, according to a report by the Central Inspection Committee and relevant authorities, Thuong violated the regulations of the Party members' code of conduct and his responsibility to set a good example as a cadre and Party member, and first and foremost as a Politburo member, a member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, and a Party Central Committee member. He should also be held responsible as a State leader, according to Party regulations and State laws.

"Vo Van Thuong's violations and shortcomings have caused bad public opinion, affecting the reputation of the Party, the State and himself. Clearly aware of his responsibility to the Party, State and the people, Thuong has submitted his resignation from all positions," the announcement stated.

More than a year ago, on March 2, 2023, Vo Van Thuong, then a Politburo member and a permanent member of the Secretariat, was elected by the parliament as State president for the 2021-2026 term, replacing Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who had resigned.

At the beginning of the 13th term (2021), the Politburo had 18 members, but now there are only 14 left as four people have stepped down. The number of Party Central Committee members (including alternates) has dropped from 200 to 180.

Thuong, 54, has a master's degree in philosophy. He was the youngest State president to take office.