Vietnamese President Resigns Amid Graft Purge.
Ruling Communist Party has announced on Wednesday that President Vo Van Thuong has resigned after just one year in the job, as the country mounts a sweeping anti-graft purge.
The party said Thuong was guilty of “violations and shortcomings” and his resignation was accepted by the central committee.
The 53-year-old’s dramatic fall comes as Vietnam undergoes major political upheaval, with his predecessor forced out in an anti-corruption drive that has seen several ministers fired and top business leaders tried for fraud and corruption.
A statement on the party’s website said Thuong had violated unspecified “regulations” and failed to set a proper example as head of state.
The rubber-stamp National Assembly will hold an extraordinary session on Thursday to confirm the resignation.
Thuong became president on March 2 last year after president Nguyen Xuan Phuc resigned in a sudden move unusual for Vietnam, where political changes have long been carefully orchestrated, with an emphasis on stability.
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