Corruption allegations: Vietnamese President Thuong resigns. Hospital worker wanted Kate’s medical records

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong has resigned amid corruption allegations. This was announced on Wednesday after a special meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). This is the third time in just three years that the Mekong country has had a new head of state – an unusual situation in the one-party state otherwise known for its political stability.

The CPV confirmed that 53-year-old Thuong will not only lose his presidency, but also his position in the Politburo, the most powerful body within the Communist Party.

According to reports, a corruption scandal from 2011 to 2014 is the background to the decision. Thuong was party secretary of Quang Ngai province at the time. Details were initially unknown. But the party said:

Rumors about Thuong’s impending resignation – which was actually forced by the KPV – had been circulating for weeks. A few days ago, a state visit by the Dutch royal couple Willem-Alexander and Máxima, scheduled for March 19 to 22, was postponed due to “domestic circumstances”, according to an official statement from The Hague.

The politician only took over the presidency in March 2023 after his predecessor Nguyen Xuan Phuc – who had been in power since April 2021 – was also ousted due to his involvement in a corruption scandal. When he took office, Thuong was the country’s youngest president since the reunification of Vietnam in 1975.

He was also considered a possible future candidate for the post of Secretary General of the CPV, which is considered the most powerful position in the country. Thuong’s current deputy, Vo Thi Anh Xuan, is expected to become interim president.

With a population of almost 100 million, Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. (saw/sda/dpa)