- General To Lam was elected as the new president of Vietnam by the Vietnamese parliament on 22 May 2024. To Lam, who was the public security minister, was removed from his post as minister by the Vietnamese parliament before being elected president.
- The appointment comes after Vietnam’s former President Vo Van Thuong resigned two months back amid a corruption crackdown.
General To Lam to be president for 2021-2026 tenure
- Vietnam is ruled by one party—the Communist Party of Vietnam. General To Lam who is a member of the Communist Party’s politburo, was the only candidate for the president post. He was elected by Vietnam’s parliament—the National Assembly—for a tenure till 2026.
- The National Assembly of Vietnam has 500 members who are elected for 5 years and sit two times a year. The National Assembly elects the president and vice president of Vietnam.
- General To Lam has been the public security minister of Vietnam since 2016.
- 66 years old To Lam as head of public security minister played a crucial role in the anti-corruption campaign in the country also known as “blazing furnace”. The campaign aimed to root out widespread corruption in the country which saw the resignations of three out of top five leaders of the country.