KATHMANDU: Vietnam's parliament elected police minister To Lam as the state president on Wednesday, a move seen as a potential stepping stone for Lam's bid for the position of chief of the ruling Communist Party, the country's top role. This followed the appointment of Tran Thanh Man as the new chairman of Vietnam's National Assembly on Monday, potentially bringing a temporary end to two months of political turbulence marked by the departure of three of Vietnam's top leaders over unspecified wrongdoings.
In line with customary procedures in the one-party state, lawmakers unanimously approved Lam's election via a resolution after a secret ballot. Lam, nominated by the Communist Party last week, was the sole candidate for the position. As head of the public security ministry, Lam has been instrumental in an anti-corruption campaign, though critics view it as a means to sideline political opponents during internal power struggles.
Despite the largely ceremonial role of the state president, it is one of Vietnam's top four political positions. Lam pledged to continue the fight against corruption after his election. However, political infighting may subside temporarily, with Lam's election potentially paving the way for his ambitions for higher office, such as the party chief job, especially as the current party chief's term ends in 2026.
To Lam's rise to power has not been without controversy. In 2021, a video of him dining at a luxury restaurant in London during a Covid lockdown drew public scrutiny. Additionally, during his tenure as head of the public security ministry, Vietnam's security services were allegedly involved in an extraordinary rendition case in 2017, straining relations with Germany and Slovakia. Concerns over human rights violations by security forces have also been raised by international observers, as highlighted in the US State Department's report on human rights in Vietnam in 2023.
