In Vietnam, President To Lam has become the country’s top leader as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam following an ongoing crackdown on corruption. The promotion took place on Saturday after his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong died a fortnight ago.
Lam’s first statement as general secretary entailed vowing to “accelerate” the anti-corruption drive that has affected many including senior officials and top business executives.“(I will) continue to speed up anti-corruption … regardless of who the person is,” Lam stated at a press conference. According to Associated Press, this commitment to clampdown is predicted to cement his grip on power and stir things in Vietnam even more.
Lam was born in 1957 – at age 66, he has led both public security ministry which curbs dissent and regulates political activism all over Vietnam. After serving for an extended period at the ministry, he recently moved up to be president with merely ceremonial responsibilities that have made him a reputable figure within the country’s leadership context. However, little is known about his dual role: what does being both general secretary and president entail?
According to analysts quoted by AFP news agency, Lam’s rise to power signifies “a total victory” that should see no break but continuity in Vietnamese policies. As stated by Benoit de Treglode who leads research at French military academy’s Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM), “He is an extremely strong statesman supported since time immemorial by a home ministry right in the middle of the Vietnamese political project”.
Lam has been elevated amid unabated anti-graft crusade dubbed ‘the furnace’; which has not spared any aspect pertaining to Vienamese stability. Though popularly endorsed by citizens, it slowed down transactions involving ordinary people while heightening anxiety among those targeted by its net. This campaign even questioned about future stability of its export-driven economy into worldwide scale.
As he takes control over Vietnam, Lam faces many obstacles while under constant watch from within and outside his country. The way he repressed dissidents before and potential further concentration of power indicate that in the coming months, Vietnam’s political future will be closely examined.
