Vietnam appoints man behind sweeping corruption crackdown as president

Vietnam’s public security minister has been appointed president of the country, elevating the official in charge of a sweeping corruption crackdown to the second-most powerful position in the national leadership.

The National Assembly on Wednesday elected General To Lam, who was nominated by the ruling Communist party at the weekend, as president, state media reported.

The appointment is the latest shuffle in Vietnam’s top ranks, which was long known for political stability under the Communist party’s tight control. But a years-long corruption crackdown has brought unprecedented political upheaval just as the south-east Asian country has emerged as an international manufacturing alternative to China.

The crackdown, initiated by party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, has resulted in the resignation of two presidents since January 2023. Hundreds of other government officials have been arrested. In April, real estate tycoon Truong My Lan was sentenced to death for her role in a $12bn fraud.

Lam, a former police officer, has given up his position as public security minister, a role he held since 2016 and one that gave him authority over graft investigations. His ministry has been leading the charge on arrests of critics and rights activists. Lam has also served as deputy head of the Communist party’s anti-corruption steering committee.

His appointment as president, which took effect on Wednesday, elevates him to Vietnam’s four-person collective leadership, which includes the Communist party chief, prime minister and National Assembly chair. It puts him in the running to replace Trong, 80, who is widely expected to step down in 2026 after a rare three terms as party secretary-general.

“I will make an effort to complete all the missions assigned by the party, state and people,” Lam said during his swearing-in, according to state media.

While the presidency is largely ceremonial, it is the second-most powerful position after the party secretary-general.

“As president, Lam will position himself as a very strong contender to replace Trong,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at Singapore’s Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute.

However, Lam’s control over the graft crackdown, which critics say has been used to target rivals, would be weakened, Giang said, adding that the new president’s limited experience in government could be an issue. “He has never held any other position outside the ministry of public security,” he said. “There will be questions over his capability to govern effectively in terms of economic and social issues.”

Lam, 66, was seen as Trong’s right-hand man in the graft crackdown, but he has been criticised for lavish spending.

In 2021, he was seen in a video eating a gold leaf-covered steak at an upscale London restaurant run by the celebrity chef Nusret Gökçe, popularly known as Salt Bae. The video prompted controversy in Vietnam and was eventually taken down by the chef.

Lam replaces Vo Van Thuong, who resigned in March due to unspecified violations and shortcomings after only a year in office.

The National Assembly on Monday also elected Tran Thanh Man as its chair, replacing Vuong Dinh Hue, who resigned last month.

The political turmoil comes as Vietnam becomes an increasingly important manufacturing destination for companies looking to diversify from China because of growing tensions between Washington and Beijing. Last year, Vietnam attracted a record $37bn in foreign direct investment.

However, investor confidence has taken a hit due to the prolonged uncertainty and reluctance by officials to approve projects for fear of corruption investigations.

Le Minh Khai, deputy prime minister, on Monday warned that Vietnam’s growth was under mounting pressure from higher inflation and a weaker currency. The government will focus on ensuring macroeconomic stability, state media quoted him as telling the National Assembly.