To Lam, known for his tough stance on human rights movements, has been nominated by Vietnam’s Communist Party to become the next president following the resignation of his predecessor in the midst of an anticorruption crackdown.
The party’s central committee selected To Lam, 66, as their candidate for the presidency, according to state media reports. Lam has served as the public security minister since 2016 and has been criticized for his strict approach towards human rights issues within the country.
Prior to Lam’s nomination, President Vo Van Thuong resigned from his position after a brief tenure, citing “violations” and “shortcomings”. This marks the second consecutive resignation of a president in Vietnam within a span of two years during the ongoing anticorruption campaign.
Following the nomination of To Lam, Tran Thanh Man, 61, was also nominated as the new head of Vietnam’s National Assembly, reinforcing the country’s top leadership team. The party’s central committee has endorsed these nominations, pending official approval by the National Assembly at their upcoming meeting.
In recent developments, a prominent property tycoon was sentenced to death in Vietnam for her involvement in a massive financial fraud case, further emphasizing the government’s commitment to combating corruption at all levels.