Vietnam’s parliament has elected police minister, To Lam, to be the country’s new president on Wednesday.
This appointment is coming days after Vietnam’s National Assembly appointed its new chairman.
Lam’s election could in the interim, end the two-months of increased political turbulence in the communist state which saw the exit of three of country’s top five leaders over unspecified wrongdoings.
As the leader of the public security ministry, Lam has been a prominent figure in a sweeping anti-graft campaign, that has been tagged, “blazing furnace.”
The campaign had also aimed at rooting out widespread corruption but critics have said that this is a tool to sideline political opponents.
Meanwhile, Lam had after the election, said he would continue the fight against corruption.
It is noteworthy to mention, however that the state president holds a mostly ceremonial role in Vietnam but it is one of the country’s top four political positions – which also include the Communist Party chief, the prime minister and the parliament speaker.
Political pundits have said that Lam’s appointment was mostly a “stepping stone” for him to later bid for the position of the Communist Party chief, the country’s top job.
The new president, Lam is not without controversy.
In 2021, while Vietnam was under a COVID-19 lockdown, Turkish celebrity chef Nusret Gokce, known popularly as “Salt Bae”, uploaded a video of himself feeding Lam a gold encrusted steak at his London restaurant.
A noodle vendor who saw this video later posted a video imitating “Salt Bae” which landed him a five years sentence in prison for “anti-state propaganda.”
Lam’s other scandal had come when he was the head of the public security ministry in 2017 Vietnam’s security services reportedly carried out an one-of-a-kind rendition of a Vietnamese business executive from Germany.
The case had rattled the cordial relations of both countries.
In 2023, the U.S. State Department published a report on human rights in Vietnam and warned of the many violations by security forces.
It also cited the “credible reports that members of the security forces committed numerous abuses.”
Why It Matters
The appointment of Vietnam’s new president, a top police official, is a significant move due to its potential to stabilize the country’s recent political turmoil and its implications for future leadership.
As a key figure in the anti-corruption campaign, the new president’s role can impact the political dynamics in the country, with critics viewing the campaign as a way to get rid of rivals.
Although the presidency is largely ceremonial, it is still one of the nation’s top political positions and could likely serve as a pathway to the top job of Communist Party chief. The president’s controversial past, including his involvement in several human rights abuse scandals and international incidents, adds to the controversy of his leadership and the global scrutiny Vietnam is currently facing.
Bottom Line
The appointment of Vietnam’s new president —a top police officer known for his role in a controversial anti-corruption campaign— is a strategic move to stabilize political unrest.
However, his controversial past, including alleged human rights abuses, raises concerns about the true intentions behind his leadership and the potential for increased political repression under the guise of anti-corruption efforts.
