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VIETNAM-POLITICS-PRESIDENT
Vietnam’s pandemic response leader sworn in as president
HANOI, April 5, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The man behind Vietnam’s successful
handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, was formally sworn in
as president in Hanoi on Monday.
Phuc, 66, was Vietnam’s prime minister for the last five years, a period
in which the economy boomed, and his government’s Covid-19 response won
plaudits at home and abroad.
Following secret voting on Monday, Phuc scored the maximum votes among the
almost 500-member rubber-stamp national assembly.
“This is his well-deserved award,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, a Vietnamese
politics expert from New Zealand’s Victoria University of Wellington.
Authoritarian Vietnam is run by the Communist Party and officially led by
the party general secretary, president, and prime minister, with key
decisions made by the 18-member politburo.
Vietnam is in the midst of its twice-a-decade leadership transition, with
76-year-old Nguyen Phu Trong re-elected in January as party general
secretary, the most important of the three roles.
Phuc was the only candidate nominated for president, as Trong — who had
held the presidency since 2018 after the sudden death of his predecessor —
stepped down.
The National Assembly said earlier this was “the first time ever a prime
minister was nominated to the position of the president”.
After his swearing in, Phuc told the nation he was “lucky and honoured” to
be given the position, which is now only second to Trong in the power
escalator.
Politburo leaders are usually expected to retire at 65, but Vietnam has
bent the age rules for both of them.
Although the presidency is largely a ceremonial role, “Mr Phuc will now be
the second-ranked member in the party which makes a strong case for him to
claim the general secretary post if Mr Trong has to step down earlier than
expected,” Giang told AFP.
Rumours have swirled in recent years about Trong’s health after he took a
month-long absence in 2019.
According to Giang, Phuc’s experience of “well managing Vietnam’s
relationship with the US under the turbulent administration of Donald Trump”
will stand him in good stead for his foreign affairs responsibilities as
president.
Phuc will later Monday designate a successor for the prime ministerial
role.
Sources said the position will be given to Pham Minh Chinh, 62, a former
deputy minister of public security.
BSS/AFp/MSY/0929 hrs