Vietnam’s National Assembly has elected Public Security Minister To Lam as the new state president, following a major anti-corruption campaign that led to the resignation of Vo Van. Vietnam’s top security official, To Lam was confirmed on Wednesday as the nation’s new president following a vote by the National Assembly.
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The 66-year-old former Public Security Minister, who has been a key figure in the country’s anti-corruption campaign, takes over from Vo Van Thuong who resigned in March due to “violations and shortcomings.”
To Lam received 472 out of 473 votes in the National Assembly’s secret ballot. Vo Van Thuong resigned in March 2024 due to “violations and shortcomings” after just one year in office.
Vietnam operates under a four-person leadership structure, the Communist Party General Secretary, the President, the Prime Minister, and the head of the National Assembly.
The country has experienced unusual political instability with the resignation of the National Assembly chairman in April 2024 and several other top officials over the past 18 months.
The anti-corruption drive is known as the “blazing furnace” campaign which has been headed by Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
Thousands of individuals including senior government and business leaders have been implicated in corruption scandals.
To Lam has been the Public Security Minister since 2016, overseeing police and intelligence operations. He has taken a hard line on human rights movements with rights groups accusing him of systematic suppression of basic liberties.
In 2021, Lam faced public outrage after being filmed eating a gold leaf-covered steak at a London restaurant shortly after visiting Karl Marx’s grave. This incident drew criticism due to the disparity between the lavish meal and the average income in Vietnam.
Under Lam’s leadership Vietnam’s security services were accused of violating international law including an alleged rendition of a Vietnamese business executive from Germany through Slovakia in 2017. Human rights organizations report that approximately 200 activists are currently imprisoned in Vietnam.
The anti-corruption campaign has impacted Vietnam’s appeal to foreign investors with a huge reduction in securities holdings.
Billions of dollars in foreign aid and public funds have remained unspent due to administrative hindrances.
Political analysts expect that the election might temporarily stabilize the politics, but anticipate further infighting as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s term approaches its end in 2026.
On May 20, 2024, Tran Thanh Man was nominated as the new head of the National Assembly. Four new politburo members were also appointed.
The political turmoil has seen the resignation of the deputy prime minister and the head of the party’s economic commission reducing the 18-member parliament to 12 members for a period.
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Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, noted that the indecision about To Lam retaining his Ministry of Public Security post indicates hesitancy among other elite members to grant such significant power to any of his proteges.
Florian Feyerabend, representative in Vietnam for Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, suggested that Lam’s new role as president could serve as a launch pad for higher ambitions.
To Lam has over four decades of service in Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security. He became the Minister of Public Security in 2016 and joined the Politburo in 2021.
The presidency in Vietnam is largely ceremonial but Lam’s appointment places him in a strong position to become the next Communist Party General Secretary.
Analysts suggest that Lam could use his new role as a stepp for further political ascension especially as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s term ends in 2026.
The anti-corruption campaign led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has shaken Vietnam’s politics. Several high-ranking officials including two former presidents and the National Assembly speaker have been ousted due to the campaign.
Rights groups have heavily criticized Lam’s tenure as head of the Public Security Ministry for the suppression of basic liberties.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented harassment, intimidation, and arrests of critics under Lam’s watch.
The Ministry of Public Security has been accused of fabricating charges to silence dissent leading to the imprisonment of activists and critics.
In 2017, Vietnamese businessperson and former politician Trinh Xuan Thanh was allegedly abducted in Berlin by Vietnamese agents.
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German authorities condemned the abduction as a violation of international law leading to strained relations between the two countries.
Ben Swanton of The 88 Project, an advocacy group for freedom of expression in Vietnam, stated that Lam’s presidency signals an entrenchment of a police state.
Lam’s tenure has also seen restrictions on foreign aid and increased censorship particularly on social media platforms.
The political instability caused by the anti-corruption drive has worried investors especially as Vietnam seeks to position itself as a manufacturing hub alternative to China.
Economic growth dropped to 5.1% in 2023 from 8% in 2022, with scandals and uncertainty contributing to a cautious bureaucratic environment.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is considered another major contender for the position of General Secretary.
The reshuffling of top leadership positions is part of an ongoing power struggle within the Communist Party.
With the departure of several senior leaders during the anti-corruption campaign, Vietnam’s political landscape remains volatile.
Lam drew public ire in 2021 when a video surfaced showing him eating a gold-encrusted steak served by celebrity chef Nusret Gokce, known as Salt Bae during a COVID-19 lockdown in Vietnam.
The incident, which went viral despite censorship efforts, highlighted the contrast between the officials’ lifestyles and the public’s hardships during the lockdown.
Following Lam’s confirmation as president, Deputy Public Security Minister Tran Quoc To was appointed as interim head of the ministry.
Analysts like Zachary Abuza from the National War College in Washington suggest that Lam’s new position might weaken his ability to challenge Prime Minister Chinh directly.
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