Vietnam’s ruling party relieved one of the country’s top lawmakers of his post as chairman of the National Assembly on Friday, media reported, citing his violations of regulations affecting the party and the state.
The Communist Party's Central Committee let Vuong Dinh Hue resign “at his personal request” after an extraordinary meeting, Vietnamese news sites reported. The Central Committee is the party’s highest authority. Hue was also relieved of his position in the Politburo.
His removal comes amid a party crackdown on corruption in which thousands of people, including regional and national government officials and senior business leaders, have been caught up.
Hue had "violated Party regulations, and his violations have affected the reputation of the Party, the State and himself," media reported, citing the party's Central Inspection Committee.
Hue has been a member of the party’s powerful Politburo and the Central Party Committee for several terms.
Hue is the fifth Politburo member to be ousted this term, following the forced resignations of Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, economic commission chief Tran Tuan Anh, and President Vo Van Thuong.
Like other senior Vietnamese politicians, Hue has business interests overseen by his family members. This month, his personal assistant, Phan Thai Ha, was arrested at the airport upon returning from a five-day official trip to China with Hue, where they met with President Xi Jinping.
Ha, who has been Hue’s right-hand man for over two decades, was charged with “abusing his position and power to influence others for personal gain,” for his ties to the Thuan An construction group, a small firm that won 38 of 47 public tenders for major infrastructure projects. Thuan An’s two top leaders have been arrested.
Hue is the second of four top leaders, known as the “four pillars” of the party, to resign in just over four weeks amid the anti-corruption campaign, dubbed “blazing furnace”, spearheaded by party’s general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong.
Former President Thuong was relieved of his post on March 21 after just one year in office.
The Vietnamese Communist Party puts great store in political stability and analysts say the series of resignations could worry investors and damage public trust.
Edited by Mike Firn.