By: Tamanna Yadav
The author is a third-year bachelor’s student at Jindal School of International Affairs. She can be reached at 22jsia-tyadav@jgu.edu.in
Introduction
Vietnam’s political leadership operates within a unique framework where the power is concentrated among four key leaders. These leaders look into the functioning of Vietnam by formulating policies and working towards stability, national security, and defence. In the past few years, the political landscape has gone through several changes, resignations, and instability, resulting in an unpredictable environment. The current president was elected in October 2024 in lieu of political stability. As the country navigates through this tough transition, the leadership must grapple with balancing political stability and having a strong impact on the global scale.
Background
Vietnam’s leadership consists of mainly four positions: the Communist Party general secretary, the president, the prime minister, and the head of the National Assembly. These four positions form the basis of leadership and carry out the decision-making process. The president’s position is ceremonial and considered as a natural stepping stone for becoming the Communist Party’s general secretary. In the past few years, three leaders have assumed the president’s office and resigned due to corruption charges and related scandals. This has caused the political structure to be disbalanced as it is not working to its capacity. Vietnam’s former president, Vo Van Thuong, resigned after serving one year (March 23-March 24) in the office as he “violated party rules and had shortcomings that affected public opinion and the reputation of the party, state, and himself” (Head, 2024).Vo Van was the youngest president to hold the position at the age of 53, he would have potentially been the longest-surviving successor and improved the outlook of Vietnam.
With the resignation of the National Assembly chairman in April due to “violations and shortcomings,” (Wee, 2024) two main positions were vacant, offering the opportunity for youth and new members to step up. Vietnam’s National Assembly elected Luong Cuong as the 14th president. Luong had been a member of the Politburo, the most powerful decision-making body, and served as the party secretary, holding the fifth most powerful position in Vietnam.
Key Leadership Changes
Luong Cuong had joined the army in 1975, during the time when South Vietnam fell to the communists. Since then, he wanted to “unify the country and only hoped that on the day of victory, he would return alive and happy, absolutely not thinking or dreaming of reaching this level or position.” As the president, he plans to diversify Vietnam’s relations while strengthening national defense and security and focusing on becoming a socialist and rich nation. Cuong’s appointment took place after months of political turmoil and the death of former party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. While his appointment as the president was not a surprise within Vietnam, this decision resulted in Tô Lâm leaving the position of president that he had held onto while being the general secretary after Nguyen’s death.
According to a research fellow at the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, Lam’s decision to step down as the president was to restore implicit power-sharing arrangement and diversity among decision makers. Now the position of president and party secretary is held by two individuals rather than one, leading to diversity till the 2026 elections. Another visiting fellow at ISEAS believes that Cuong’s appointment will not have a major effect on a global scale as he has a largely ceremonial role. Cuong’s appointment highlights the rise of strongmen, as three of four pillars are either held by police or military generals.
Mr. Lam, who will serve as the general secretary until the next election in 2026, has made no changes in the policy structure, leading to growth and expansion. Vietnam is one of the few Asian countries that has hosted top leaders from China, the U.S., and Russia and has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) through significant gains from supply chains amid US-China competition, which is exceptional. The leadership needs to change its policies and ongoing agenda to put political instability behind themselves and work towards economic development and improving the financial condition of Vietnam.
Conclusion
Vietnam’s recent political changes reflect the challenges within its framework and the urgent need for reform building. The appointment of Luong Cuong is like a ray of hope for the country as the resident tries to restore balance and stability after a period of controversies. While the ceremonial nature of the president limits direct implementation and policies, on a global forum the president can bring about developments and present ideas in front of the four pillars of the country. However, addressing global supply chains and their strategic position in South Asia, the leadership has the opportunity to increase FDIs and invite countries to set up factories in Vietnam. The efficiency of the political transition will be visible in Vietnam’s ability to emerge from the ongoing challenges and move towards its true potential.
References
1. Head, J. (2024, March 21). Vietnam: President Vo Van Thuong resigns after a year in office. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68622794
2. Walker, T. (2024, November 5). Vietnam’s new president confronts turmoil – DW – 11/04/2024. dw.com. https://www.dw.com/en/can-vietnams-new-president-end-months-of-turmoil/a-70684226
3. Who is to lam, Vietnam’s top cop now elected president? Firstpost. (2024, May 22). https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/who-is-to-lam-vietnam-new-president-whose-selection-completes-hanois-four-pillars-13773903.html
4. Who is Luong Cuong? Vietnam’s new president. The Indian Express. (2024, October 22). https://indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-is-luong-cuong-vietnams-new-president-9633323/
5. PARAMESWARAN, P. (2024, November 20). Vietnam’s to Lam faces complex challenges. GIS Reports. https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/vietnam-to-lam/
6. Luong, D. (2024, April 3). Will Vietnam’s political turmoil shake up foreign investment? Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/04/01/vietnam-president-resignation-thuong-foreign-investment-politics/
7. Wee, S. (2024b, April 26). Resignation of Vietnam’s Parliament chief stirs fresh political chaos. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/26/world/asia/vietnam-parliament-resignation.html
The views expressed in this article are those of the author (s). They do not reflect the views or opinions of Diplomania or its members.
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